Portrait of Van Gogh as a Young Artist

Teodora is a bilingual writer. She is the author of two books, a poetry volume and a collection of short stories.

A restless soul painted in yellow and blue

I have always been fascinated by artists. Their complex and often misunderstood inner world is always reflected in their canvases - the silent witnesses of their trials and tribulations. Van Gogh was a struggling artist, like many others. He only found fame after death. Vincent was insanely (pun intended) talented, which eventually cost him his sanity. He filled his paintings with colors and raw emotions yet emptied himself in the process. These are some of the thoughts that inspired this poem.

Red like the dying sun sprawled all over the sky

such was his hair

an almost impossible shade of fire like rye

a chromatic rebellion, an implausible dare.

His eyes – canvases tinted with gray-green insanity

crucifying time in a frame

starting invisible wars out of vanity

blinded by crimson rage and azure pain.

And his ears, such fragile receptacles of bliss

unable to sieve the loudness of life

one had to go, one was amiss...

Incessant insidious dreams clinging to brushes

with nothing to land on

but sun flowers and ashes.

Troublesome soul, rarely patient or mellow

dyed in ochre and cider and marigold too.

Paint my madness in yellow

he said

and paint my sadness in blue!