The Voice In A Painting


The Trouble With Time ~ A painting by Mike Worrall

My marble windowsill
of prosperity must become
more than a calloused perch
for viewing the destitute
caught in poverty’s whirlpool.

Wealth means nothing
if I spend it on selfishness
while the world drowns.

Unlace my corset of arrogance
that constrains compassion
and let me breathe generosity.

I can no longer feed
at the silver breast of greed.
Life is more than counting coins.
It is the open palms of giving
wherever there is need.


©Susie Clevenger 2013

This painting also inspired the following.

The trouble with time
is it drowns life
just when you’ve
learned how to swim.
_______________________________________________


 Poets Corner ~ Painting by Mike Worrall

She plays fantasy’s strings
with lust rosined bow
for an audience of
double standards.

©Susie Clevenger 2013


Grace at Real Toads offered us the beautiful art of Mike Worrall as inspiration for our creativity. Sunday Challenge Featuring ~ Mike Worrall


Comments

Anonymous said…
Awesome...This painting is enough to say, no need of words :)
November 10, 2013 at 3:03 PM
hedgewitch said…
Whoa, Susie--a very neat trifecta around these paintings. In the first, solemn and posed as the woman, the voice finaly breaks out into bald truth " I can no longer feed/at the silver breast of greed." and the two short pieces are both exemplary in concision and execution. Really good work here, Ms S.
November 10, 2013 at 3:39 PM
Susan said…
Wow, Susie. I LOVE what you did with these paintings--the first poem an epiphany, a fantasy--the second fun on the wisdom at life's end--and the third sexy irony! So much flavor in one little posting. Very fine, indeed.
November 10, 2013 at 4:41 PM
Scarlet said…
If I may Susie, this part reminded me of the calamity in the Philippine (10K dead) ~ The giving & breathing of generosity resonated strongly with me ~ Also enjoyed your two short pieces ~

Thanks for participating in Sunday's Challenge & wishing you Happy Week ~
November 10, 2013 at 5:01 PM
Other Mary said…
Oh Susie all three of these are gems!
November 10, 2013 at 6:31 PM
Hannah said…
"I can no longer feed
at the silver breast of greed."

and

"Wealth means nothing if I spend it on selfishness while the world drowns."

Wow! Nailed squarely with these, Susie!!

I love wisdom planted within these poems.

Excellent writing!
November 10, 2013 at 6:48 PM
Anonymous said…
love the second one of the 1st painting, and everything about the one for the second.
November 10, 2013 at 8:44 PM
Sumana Roy said…
'Life is more than counting coins.'......a great truth of life
..........both the paintings and your lines complement each other....
November 10, 2013 at 9:32 PM
humbird said…
'I can no longer feed
at the silver breast of greed.' ~ love this line, and 1- stanza poems - very meaningful too!

November 10, 2013 at 10:38 PM
Brendan said…
Your poem perfectly caught the poise of a woman who turns from some elegant view to sense a rising tide we can't avoid without drowning in something else -- our greed. Nicely done.
November 11, 2013 at 4:40 AM
Fireblossom said…
I like that second one. A lot of truth to that!
November 11, 2013 at 5:50 AM
Kerry O'Connor said…
That first painting gave rise to so many amazing poems, and yours is no exception and I was struck by the veracity of the poem written for the second painting, and how true for the modern performer.
November 11, 2013 at 7:17 AM
Marian said…
oh good lord Susie, that poem (the first) punched me right in the gut. thanks for writing that.
November 11, 2013 at 8:53 AM
Ella said…
I love the fables that you threaded throughout your poems~

Love this line:

""I can no longer feed
at the silver breast of greed."

The first one is my favorite
November 11, 2013 at 8:56 AM
brudberg said…
Oh three poems that are really gems all of them... my favorite was the last one..
November 11, 2013 at 3:03 PM
Lisa A. Williams said…
Marvelous Susie.The first one really strikes a chord as I feel very saddened as well regarding the greed of the world.
November 11, 2013 at 7:01 PM
Margaret said…
The last stanza of the first poem is tremendously amazing …. silver breast of greed (wow) and the last two short poems really are larger that life - so witty and remarkable.
November 11, 2013 at 7:47 PM
my heart's love songs said…
all three poems are amazing!

i especially love

"She plays fantasy’s strings
with lust rosined bow
for an audience of
double standards."

brilliant!

♥
November 12, 2013 at 2:40 AM
Anonymous said…
well penned, Susie ~
November 13, 2013 at 3:05 AM
C.C. said…
These are all fantastic. The second, short one about the first painting...for such profound accuracy to be expressed so beautifully is a joyful thing. Thank you. The first one of the first painting....that is my favorite. The meaning, the cognition, the challenge, all so powerful. Amazing work :-)
November 14, 2013 at 11:28 PM
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