Dali's visions: a series of images

Kush · Post by **Kush** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 12:32 am

This one's for Georges.

Dali's visions: a series of images

A little girl lifts the skin
that the sea forms along the shore
to find a dog sleeping
in the shade of the water.

A half-man on two legs
with the sails of a ship for his torso and head
in stormy weather
fighting the winds.

And the new man hatching
from inside a giant egg
cracking it open with his strength.

And also the fractal skull
with skulls in the cavity of its eyes and mouth
and skulls again inside of each.

And the fried egg hanging from a tree – sunny side up
it’s yellow choking in a hangman’s noose
and the white dangling limp.

And also the horse with three legs and a wheel
chewing a telephone clenched between its teeth.

And also the white robed ghosts on bicycles
circling a grand piano in the middle of the hall.

And the three swans in a lake
with their reflections in the water forming elephant images
the folded wings become the elephant ears
the graceful neck is the curved trunk
and the eyes and beak is the snout.

And the flower with its roots in a small duck’s egg
that is held between the fingers of a man.

And the self-portrait of the back of the artist
painting the back of his wife seated before him and facing away
on a canvas that is between them and a little off to the side
and simultaneously both their faces reflected
within a painted mirror in front.

And also the burning giraffe.

And the geological destiny
of two lonely skulls riding a horse
into a vast and empty desert.

And the apparition of a naked woman
riding a giant snail with a bridle.

And another woman in white
riding a transparent horse
with the vision of two knights and a castle
in its stomach.

And the eye of the painter himself
with the hands and digits of the clock
on his green retina.

And also the battle scene
with rape and carnage all around
except for the serene artist in its midst
painting the still life image of a pear.

And the face of a man
with a fighter aeroplane figure plastered on his visage
its engines, body and wings forming eyes and nose
and the tail wing becomes the mouth
dropping bombs which are the teardrops.

And the pomegranate with torn skin from within which
emerges a giant piranha from whose mouth
emerges two Bengal tigers to devour
a lady sleeping peacefully on the rocks.

And also two lovers with clouds in their heads
and a beach in their torso.

And Christ on the Cross painted not upright
but slanted forward in the angle that occurs
when offered to a dying man on a hospital bed
for to kiss.

And the soft, jellylike clocks
decorating dead trees and sleeping mules
time itself bending, stretching and pulling
from the forces of nature.

*The style was inspired by the English translation of a French poem "Picasso's Magic Lantern" by Jacques Prevert. I was trying for a specific spacing pattern of lines that flows better but this forum does not allow it. Therefore it is divided into conventional verses. It looks a little different on paper.

LaurieAK · Post by **LaurieAK** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 12:54 am

Kush~

Like a walk through an art gallery, with pictures on both sides of the walls. Almost too much info, but never going too far.
Very nice journey of a poem you got here.

Thanks for sharing,
Laurie

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 3:21 am

Hi Kush ~

It sounds as if you were looking through a coffee-table copy of Dali's paintings, and selecting your favourites as you went. Some of your verses brought an instant reminder of some of his paintings that I've seen. I haven't yet visited the Dali museum in mid-/south-Florida, but this really motivates me to.

It also occurred to me [with your dedication] and as I read that Georges writes in the same fantastical fashion that Dali drew/painted. Dali in words = Georges' poems. Similarities of vision.

~ Lizzy

Kush · Post by **Kush** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 6:49 am

Laurie, Lizzytysh - thanks for the comments.
There really wasn't much creativity on my part, it was more an exercise for me to transform what I am seeing in front of me into words. I did want to convey atleast enough info so that the reader can recreate the images but I cannot myself know how successful I have been in that. But the idea was to blast the reader with these vivid, fantastic images so they would become curious themselves about the paintings and what it's all about.
And after I wrote it it seemed a little bit like Georges poetry so I thought I'd dedicate it to him.

Cia · Post by **Cia** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 7:45 am

Nice Kush, but why did you leave out the portrait of Lorca?
hugs from Cia

George.Wright · Post by **George.Wright** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 10:52 am

Thanks for your dedication to me Kush. I note the similar themes and thank you for sharing it with me.
Georges

Kush · Post by **Kush** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 11:39 pm

Cia - I left out all the portraits (Lorca, Picasso) I wasnt sure what I could say about them. I also wanted to put some more transfomation paintings (e.g.,swan reflecting elephants) but it's very difficult to visualize unless you see it in front of you. Thanks for the appreciation.

You are very welcome Georges. I'd probaby step back a little from the equivalence Lizzytysh is suggesting (Dali in words=Georges poems). That is perhaps a little ambitious.
I emphasize though that Dali was a very original voice who took pains to first master the basics from those who came before him before embarking on his own journey. This is evident from his early paintings. He knew the rules inside out before bending them to his will.

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 11:48 pm

Very true, Kush....a little ambitious; and knowing the rules inside-out first, a major strength. However, being rawly imaginative isn't anything to apologize for, either. The 'fantastic' [quoting Moonlight from awhile back] definitely applies to both.