Tuesday, April 6, 2010

napowrimo # 6

"Select a picture and speak to it"  is prompt # 6. I chose a Picasso painting and a formal poetic form - the Triolet.  I've never written a triolet before and I've never really understood what Picasso was all about.  As I looked through some his paintings in a Google Image search, I understood, for the first time, just a little of what Picasso is about - and decided to try the triolet.  napowrimo is a challenge, right? 

You need to know the form of the Triolet.  8 lines, only two rhymes.  Five of the 8 lines are repeated, or refrain lines.  The form is: 
                                        A
                                        B
                                        A  - rhymes with first line
                                        A -  identical to first line
                                        A  - Rhymes with first line
                                        B  - Rhymes with second line
                                        A  - identical to first line
                                        B  - identical to second line


Pablo Picasso's "Weeping"

We women have a way of knowing when we see one who’s abused.
Hide your tears, dress your best, yet we know you know you’re betrayed.
The more guilty his betrayal the louder he brays and you’re emotionally bruised.
We women have a way of knowing when we see one who’s abused
It’s your care to look normal though disconnected, angry, and confused
Your denial, your hidden tears, your refusal to admit you’re afraid.
We women have a way of knowing when we see one who’s misused.
Hide your tears, dress your best, yet we know you know you’re afraid

                                                            Wanda McCollar

                                

5 comments:

  1. Strangely enough I considered using this painting of Dora Maar for my last post.I'm a bit of an expert on Picasso.His treatment of Dora Maar was despicable.There is a good book called
    'Surviving Picasso' by Francois Gilot that I think you would enjoy.Also a movie made of it
    with the same name with Anthony Hopkins as Picasso (not as good)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very strange, indeed. I don't know Dora Maar, but will pursue your references. Selected this painting because it was meaningful to me for its visual impact alone.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Powerful repetition.
    I've also read "Surviving Picasso". Excellent book. As far as his treatment of women: a woman was either a queen or a door mat, in Picasso's mind. When I look at his work - his pen & ink drawings, I can't help but think those minotaurs he often drew were actually self portraits.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi, Wanda. Ambitious stuff! Good on you for experimenting with form...as Picasso did. =)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wanda,
    Well written and the process notes are great.
    Pamela

    ReplyDelete