Clouds
I
can’t recall a time
before
knowing and loving
Georgia
O'Keeffe.
From
close-up flower paintings
to
cow skulls,
from
southwestern landscapes
to
cityscapes
I
love it all.
In
my early 20s,
I
saw her paintings
in
various museums in
DC
and New York.
Her
posters
colored
my
my
dorm rooms and
apartments
and
she
was just
part
of me.
I
appreciate how O’Keeffe
saw
things differently
from
others.
She
was bold
and
new
and
different.
And
I like that in my art.
When
I was living in DC
in
the mid 80s,
there
was a huge installation
of
Georgia O'Keeffe paintings.
I
remember going to the
National
Gallery
with
my Aunt Marge
one
Sunday
and
we were rueing the fact
that
she was leaving that day
and
the exhibit was set to open
the
very next day.
We
bemoaned that she would
miss
the
exhibit.
A
museum guard approached
and
said,
"There’s
no reason
why
you should have to
miss
this exhibit.
It's
all ready.”
He
opened the door
and
let us in.
Just
us.
We
were stunned.
We
walked in
and
stood at the top
of
a set of stairs.
Before
us was a huge mural:
O’Keeffe’s
Clouds.
After
she flew in an airplane,
she
painted picture
after
picture
after
picture
of
clouds.
She
was fixated on them
and
their beauty.
The
mural we saw was huge
and
spectacular!
I
was mesmerized.
There
was no one in front
of
the paintings,
blocking
our view.
There
were no other people
talking
in the exhibit,
just
us.
It
was an experience
I
had never had before
…
or since.
This
is my thank you letter
to
that Museum guard
all
these years hence.
I
am beholden.
I
was living in DC at the time
and
many people I knew
came
to town specifically
to
see that exhibit.
I
went with each
group
of friends
and
numerous times
on
my own.
But
no visit to the exhibit
could
begin
to
match
my
first visit.
I
was heartsick
the
next time I went
and
the view of the Clouds
was
entirely obstructed
by
other visitors.
Don’t
get me wrong,
I’m
thrilled so many people share
my
passion for her art.
But
I know that no one,
myself
included,
would
get a clear view of Clouds
or
any other painting again.
Clouds
should truly be unobstructed.
Haiku
how is it possible
to miss you more today
than yesterday
***
your voice on the phone –
an anchor
to my day
***
new day dawning
endless possibilities
for my half-lived life
***
love in motion
spins me around and
leaves me dizzy
***
every book I read–
viewed through the lens
of new reading glasses
***
a serenade--
my love sings silently to you
from my heart
***
feeling blue--
no candles on your cake to blow
for you're in heaven
***
overnight
from peace to war –
prayers for peace again
***
a sliver of hope
wakes with the dawn–
fresh new day
Jennifer Gurney lives in
Colorado where she teaches, paints, writes and hikes. Her poetry has appeared
in a variety of journals, including Lothlorien, The Ravens Perch, HaikUniverse,
Haiku Corner, Cold Moon Journal, Scarlet Dragonfly and The Haiku Foundation.
You captured it perfectly, Jen. That was a stand out day. I remember it often.
ReplyDeleteYour description of seeing
ReplyDelete' Clouds' with one other person, a loved one, touched my heart Joan