Poem Starting with a Line from Norman Dubie
The lights of the galaxies are strung out over a dipper of gin
certainly the start of a poem Joan Miró can sink his teeth in
cause you know Miró says poetry, painting are
much the same, two peas in a pod
painting rising from brushstrokes the way a poem rises from words
meaning comes on a later train
so maybe Miró saw stars in the dark dome of heaven
itsy-bitsy pinpricks disclosing God's nightdress
clean, white linen
wedding gown lace
an unblemished lamb
much like the dress I slept in a long time ago
before I liked the taste of gin
maybe that's what Miró was
thinking when he painted
Constellation: Awakening in the Early Morning
a naked woman on the left
with arms and womb opened wide to
embrace the world
she looks hung-over
as does the man with hooked nose
hanging under crescent moon
stars, plane, a bird or two
thick red cock with two red balls
all hang suspended in disbelief and
constellation consternation
there must have been a
feast of lovemaking last night
before dawn slipped under the locked door
Miró says poetry and painting are
done the same way you make love
an exchange of blood
a total embrace
without caution
without thougt of protecting yourself
so maybe the woman on the left
lost her invitation to the raucous affair or
maybe she wasn't invited at all and
maybe that accounts for the
look of surprise on her face
I know that look
I wore it once myself a long time ago
before I learned to love the taste of gin
ReadWritePoem Prompt: Day 13
In his poems, Norman Dubie tells stories, sets scenes and paints landscape, sometimes lush and sometimes wretched. His writing is sure and vivid, and his language is beautiful. As you’ll see below, his similes are incomparable. If forced to compare him with anyone, I’d be more likely to pick a painter than another writer.
For this prompt, take a Dubie line to jumpstart a poem of your own. Your poem should be titled “Poem Starting with a Line from Norman Dubie.”
I chose "The lights of the galaxies are strung out over a dipper of gin." In Barcelona last December, I spent and afternoon in the Miró museum there, and was taken by his connection to painting and poetry.
This is also a love poem and, at the same time, and anti-love poem, so it works for the Poetic Asides prompt, too.
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