Poetry Painting Project: Day 2

ABOUT THE POETRY PAINTING PROJECT

We selected 30 poems (from the public domain) and each day for the next 30 days I will write a poem inspired by it, and Addie will paint a painting.

So, without further ado, let’s get to today’s painting and poem, inspired by Omar Khayyám’s timeless book, The Rubáiyát.

To read this poem, click here (or scroll down near the bottom of the page)


ADDIE’S PAINTING

Movement By Addie Hirshten

MY POEM

IRIS

I once filled
my empty inkwell
with lonely tears
and the words I scrawled
could not be read—
neither by me,
nor anyone.

I prayed and wingèd Iris
gave me wine to drink,
infused my cheerless ink
with every color and hue—
cadmium red and ultramarine,
lemon yellow and cerulean blue,
to name just a few.

She put her hand on mine,
and plucked a feather from her wing.
She loved me,
guided my pen,
and so I began
to write words for the world to read.


OUR INSPIRATION

from THE RUBÁIYÁT (VERSE 71)
by Omar Khayyám (trans. Edward FitzGerald)

The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.


Notes:
Omar Khayyám, 1048-1131. Born in Nishapur, Persia.
Biography: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/omar-khayaam
Link to Poem: https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2008/dec/29/poem-week-edward-fitzgerald
Link to Translator: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_FitzGerald_(poet)
Rubáiyát (Persian) means quatrains: verses in four lines.


ABOUT THE POETRY PAINTING PROJECT

For the past couple of months I have been working on a huge new secret project with my painter, Addie Hirshten, of Studio Alchemy

We selected 30 poems (from the public domain) and each day for the next 30 days I will write a poem inspired by it, and Addie will paint a painting.

Expect an outpouring of creative energy! This is the sort of big project that artists live for … where we can say what we yearn to say.  Big picture stuff. Heart wrenching stuff. I feel so inspired by the poetry we are working with AND seeing Addie’s process as well. Expect daily surprises with our posts. Expect passion. Expect love. Expect life.

Check Out Addie’s Instagram Account: www.instagram.com/alchemy.of.art.addie.hirschten/

Check out Addie’s art studio — Studio Alchemy:
studioalchemy.art/

Everybody born comes from the Creator trailing wisps of glory. We come from the Creator with creativity. I think that each one of us is born with creativity.

Maya Angelou

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