In the long grass of the small meadows
the young girl wearing a light blue dress
and straw hat walks or stands by herself
looking down, holding a folded page
Has she brought a letter to read here
alone where no one will notice her
if she should blush or giggle or sigh
or maybe even cry a little?
How many times has she walked alone
to the small meadows, winter and spring?
How many letters has she brought here?
or just this one letter, many times?
Fat clouds bustle across a bright sky
that colours the full tranquil river
tall new-leafed willows glow in the sun
may bushes are coming into bloom
So much happening all around her
while the young girl in a light blue dress
and straw hat stands or walks by herself
in long grass, looking down, concentrates
.
19 comments:
hey Zeph, you are in synch with BTP's Musing post.
A girl in a picture inspires poetry. Thank you.
But (sorry there's a but) how come the girl is responsive to the letter/book/poem she's reading?
Maybe she's a poet considering her own words:
I wandered lonely as a gaze
that floats on other people's needs
When all at once I saw a crowd
A host of other urgent needs
beside the magazines and stuff
there's more to girls than dreams of fluff
Indeed so, Parallax.
She might be consulting a small book on How to Poison your Unwanted Relatives, with a view to starting tomorrow.
She might be a mathematical genius and the page contains a hitherto unsolvable equation which she's about to crack (just before it starts raining).
Who can say?
I get round this in the poem by putting lots of question marks, so the reader can answer "No! I don't think she's brought a letter to read at all, what rubbish!" if he or she chooses...
As the light-blue dress is shortish, she's not considered grown-up yet. Maybe she's preparing an essay on The Life Cycle of the Common Frog, to impress her teacher tomorrow.
I think she reminded me of those Vermeer ladies reading letters, except that in the Vermeer pictures the surroundings are very still, while here it seems to be all going on in a springy sort of way.
yes, it's a terrific picture.
I wonder if in years to come we'll be writing about "girl blogging" or "girl with a pearl mouse"
Or "Girl In A Virtual Kitchen".
Or "A Photoshopped Courtyard In Delft."
There appears to be a robed figure walking on water on the lower middle right of the picture.
The girl is reading a telegram.It says, "Jesus is coming. Look busy."
Mind you, I could be wrong...
"The Life Cycle of the Common Frog"
I see. Another cheap shot at the pond life.
Well, this frog would give you a piece of his mind if:
a) it were big enough so a piece could be spared.
b) he didn't think this was a delightful pome.
Just tell the girl not to step on the batrachians, ok?
Sorry, Offie, no implications intended:)
Mishari: I think that's a boat. Though of course Jesus might be in it.
I don't see it, Zeph. Not only is it clearly a robed water-walker, but s/he is carrying what appears to be a Mosaic tablet on one arm.
There's something supernatural going on or about to go on. I reckon she's penned a prayer to Jesus, asking for help with her upcoming exams at Roedean and her prayer has been answered.
Mr. J. Christ, the ever-popular evangelist approaches. The answers to the exam questions are on the tablet. Trust me...I know about this kind of stuff...
It wouldn't be Roedean, unless she's on a visit from England. The small meadows are French ones, somewhere-sur-Loing, I believe.
Let the poor girl read her letter - distracting her with all this religion, she'll step on a frog...
Btw Offie (non-batrachian), I'm glad you liked the pome.
Yeah, it's got an easy-flowing rhythm that's not unlike an unhurried walk along the river.
I think Mishari's on to something, only perhaps it's a book of necromancy and the figure is of her own summoning.
Zeph, I like this pome too. So many untold and half-told stories in it, but I was especially caught by "or just this one letter, many times..."
Thanks, Munni. It is mysterious, that she's taken something outside to read, away from everybody.
I think the boat/angel is heading for that almost hidden building, back along the path behind our girl. She may be completely oblivious to... whatever's about to happen.
I wasn't being entirely facetious, Zeph. I really do see a robed figure aqua-walking. I don't remember enough about Sisley to speculate on his mystical inclinations.
Am I right in remembering him as an early disciple/friend of Seurat's and an early Pointilliste? Or am I thinking of someone else?
Just your basic middle-of-the-road Impressionist, I always thought? Kind of like Pissarro? Definitely no mystical tendencies though, so that angel is either a sailing boat or a white building with a reflection in the water. Either way, shall we say a less successful detail of the picture (sorry Mr Sisley).
I think it looks like one of those giant statues of a lion raised up on it's back legs. Some kind of pond decoration on a larger (lake-sized) scale perhaps?
oops - an errant ' there... it's been a long day!
My mistake, Zeph. I was thinkin g of
Paul Signac...sorry.
There are some more Sisley pictures in the Annexe now.
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