Jackson Pollock for Magpie Tales
JACKSON
As a child he was the fifth
as an adult he was a half
and a whole
that became nothing
and too much
He battled his demons
with drink and paint
for almost two years
driven by drips and swirls
he simply painted
And when it was good
he could not accept it
or was self-exalted
sabotaging himself and
the paints that made him
Drips made him famous
Drink made him dead
32 comments:
Oooh strong closing lines! One of your best :D
Wow, a cautionary tale, and so well said. Closing lines pack a punch!
Powerful ending lines...
Alas a too common end for most artists...
you have now explained his crazy paintings. he must have been drunk when he did them... maybe this was his inner demons trying to come out.
I love this:
"he was a half
and a whole
that became nothing
and too much"
He's my favorite painter.
excellent, powerful words, it drew me in!!!
Yes – love his work and vision, deplore his self-destruction.
Awesome !
Excellent, Gail!
I think you have really characterized Jackson Pollack well. I have seen a movie about him....and yes, his drips did make him famous and drink made him dead! I like your subject matter AND your form.
This is very good Gail, you have captured the artist and your ending lines deliver a punch that stays with the reader.
ps - So how is the dragon?
Gail you captured him perfectly in prose and told me things I didn't know about him. Bravo!
That final couplet! Sad life.
Story of a lot of great artists.
A concise biography. That's all we need to know.
Rosey Pinkerton's blog
What an insightful poem - maybe this applies to many who try to express themselves in non conventional ways - there is always that sense of failure..not measuring up if we don't feel we are doing as the majority tell us we should do..on the other hand thank heavens for that
It sounds sinister and tragic. Great artists have often been saddled with such unhappiness! Very true Gail!
Hank
Wow, what a great commentary on the artist. I love the last line. So true of many troubled folks.
that was really nice, esp the last two lines can fit on the lives of many artists.
A biography in a poem. I really, really, really like it.
interesting ending.. too often the truth.
powerful piece of free verse.
It feels his spirit was really strong in its expression so Jackson tried to balance with grounding drinks....which at particular moment was overwhelm for physical body....~ Like the way you summarize it with words you have and amazing image!
This is excellent!
In a word, impressive!
You really caught him in this.
He was unique and his work really stands out ~ Good one Gail ~
Complex he was . . . almost tormented . . .
Perfectly said, and so true to form was he. I'm still trying to get my head into this form, and it's time to give it a whirl, or drip or something splashed against the canvas! I just posted my magpie, and thanks to checking your blog I caught it just in time not to read before I posted mine! Close call!
The last two lines say it all. Excellent write!
He battled his demons
with drink and paint
Like these two lines there!
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