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!
Comments
Teodora Gheorghe (author) on August 27, 2021:
@Janet: Thank you! I can only imagine the palette of emotions that were stirred during that event. Going to an art exhibition often feels like witnessing the artist's soul reach out to you from the frames of his paintings.
Teodora Gheorghe (author) on August 27, 2021:
@John Hansen: thank you so much for your kind words. I also believe that his posthumous fame has to do with both his art and his tragic life.
John Hansen from Gondwana Land on August 27, 2021:
Van Gogh was a brilliant artist (one of my all-time favourites) and your poem describes him wonderfully. His posthumous popularity would be through a combination of both his incredible art as well as his troubled life. People will always be intrigued by his sad story.
Janis Leslie Evans from Washington, DC on August 27, 2021:
Teodora, this poem perfectly captures the beauty, genius and tragic life of Van Gogh. I was lucky enough to see the Van Gogh exhibit here in DC. It was magical, very emotional, and stirring to the soul. Your question is a good one, exactly what I felt when I left the exhibit: his life story might be as captivating as his art, if not more. Thank you for sharing your appreciation of this artist and your creative writing skills. Superb.
