To Georgia
the gray was stifling
but to Alfred,
(In between was the upclick
of the shutter and the word,
fedora and great cloak,
with tripod, as heavy load),
it was, of course the truth.
In time when he was at last,
coerced,(for his health they said)
she found a place to paint the face of Death~
and all this caused
Father Carrol, in his youth,
to roar
like a suffocating lion
on the Serengeti
at his syncopating flock,
mind the childrens fidgeting,
squirms, all uncomprehend ing,
which doesn't stop Georgia,
I am reminded of Augustus, & Livia
who it's been said procured women,
Syrians he preferred, for with her
he was impotent (Graves,)
from arising in the frigid dawn
for the teasing of the swirling color.
While alfred in mo-bile
with Nurse
sat upon the porch
wrapped
as if he were Aknaton
at Amarna, staring
at the white robed priests
waiting for Nefertiri
to come home.
Author notes
Georgia O'Keefe and Alfred Stieglitz. Most Know Georgia, Srieglitz was probably most infliential photagrapher of his age. Also Editor of Very Prestigious ArtZine of the time.
Married O"keefe, though there was a disaprity in their ages.
As to Nefertiti and Akeaton, though they both died young 30ish most probably theirs was on the first documented romances that we have. Most probably Brother and Sister.
Livia & Augustus, another long lasting relationship , over 40 years. they were roughly contemporary in Age. Reformed not only Rome but Rome life & religion. They were both raised to Godhood.
Written October 19th, 2003
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damn! santori already said what I was going to say..I hate missing the ball
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'frigid morning'....
what an awesome line...
and on the second reading, I gained much more insight... thanks for the read -
Thats like a history lesson for me LOL I am reading it going WTF is all this about then! Read it a few times and your authors note. It is a very intersting poem/story and of days passed and contemporay images we see now.
Lakota x -
Boy, some of you really have a great memory. Enjoyed those responses As for this old lady, history is a fleeting thing for me, but I did enjoy reading your poem very much...learn
ed a bit too....it's been a long time since I was in school....lo l. Irene
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I can't think of anything intelligent to say. ~~~Val
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Okay, who knew I'd actually get to learn so much from one poem. I like this place more and more. Must admit Santori certainly helped clear up most of the questions I had. I am curious is he's right about the Alfred and Georgia bit though.
It's obscure, and that's saying something considering it's you, and I think footnotes would probably help the terminally lost, such as myself. How do you store so much stuff in your cranium? It's only slightly annoying, it's mostly intriguing. Well, since I don't grasp the whole reference of it, I can't really critique it, so instead I'll simply say what I did get was neat.
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Wow. A lot of layered meanings in this poem. I loved the ending of the poem. I could picture Alfred there. Good question by Santori...is
it alfred stieglitz and georgia o'keefe? That makes the poem even more interesting. ..because the Steele of Amarna is in any art historians repetoire; to add more depth to it is even better. Actually, I forgot what alfred stieglitz is famous for...i am drawing a blank, sorry.
wait...re-reading the poem. I just figured it out....he is photographer ...
I loved the whole discussion seen here:
am reminded of Augustus, & Livia
who it's been said procured women,
Syrians he preferred, for with her
he was impotent (Graves,)
from arising in the frigid dawn
for the teasing of the swirling color.
While alfred in mo-bile
The play of metaphors here..."fromarising in the frigid dawn
for the teasing of the swirling color" is awesome. arising in reference to sex and swirling color in reference to women.
I wonder...do you know if or how Nefertiri played a role in monothesism?did she support Aknaton?
Also, I thought Nefertiri was spelled NefertiTi, instead of with the r. Also, as the poem suggests, did Nefertiri play a similar role in the life of Aknaton as Alfred played in the life of Georgia (and vice versa)?
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Sorry, to the poem. (Alfred Stieglitz and Georgia O'Keefe?). The end is tragically beautiful; I wasn't sure how the beginning connected with it and Monotheism because it is not a time I know much about. So that seemed a bit obscure. A footnote or two might help me find it as beautiful as the end.
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Oh, and in trying to placate his kingdom, he and Nefertiti lived for a while in different places. She may have joined Smenkhare and Meritaten in trying to curb his excesses and split with him. If so, a sad end to the happy marriage depicted in earlier images.
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Can I give the speech? Please? Please? I'm rather fascinated with the period.
The Pharoah Akhnaton is widely considered to have created the first Monotheisticreligion (or at least something approaching monotheism) with his worship of the Aton, or disc of the Sun. His wife was Nefertiti. He may have ruled jointly for a time with his brother or son or relative Smenkhare, who was married to his daughter Meritaton. He broke away from the control of the priests, setting himself up as the direct conduit to the Aton and composed two beautiful 'Hymns to the Sun'. He created a new new capital, decorated with a new style of art. He and his family are shown in light-hearte d, playful situations very different to the formal art which came before and after. But things went wrong and there are growing signs of intolerance (that bane of monotheism) and the art appears to become more bizzare.
Some think that Akhnaton suffered Marfan's syndrome, (images showing his long face and fingers, feminine hips and breasts suggest it)which led to him feeling cast out by society and moving against it. There is evidence also that his father had taken steps against the priesthood. There may well have been a strong political dimension to his actions.
His reign ended in turmoil and he was succeeded by his son/relative/something (records are scarce since they were deliberatelydetroyed after his death by his opponents) Tutanhkaton, soon to be re-named Tutanhkamen as the state reverted to the previous religion.
Some have speculated that Akhnaton's theories influenced those Semitic people then living in Egypt who later became the Jews.
Edited on Oct 20, 1:57 p.m. because ''. -
The last lines made me smile. I'm not sure I get it. Maybe too metaphoric or maybe I'm just an idiot. Okay.....Ama
rna is a period of Egyptian history and of course Nefertiri is an Egyptian goddess and what does that or this have to do with Monotheism, which is the belief in one God? I don't know. Maybe it's all just a reflection like the title says. I don't get it but I don't have to get it to enjoy it, which I did. Very much. Got me thinkin' here Lute. Are you some kinda genious or somethin'? Hehehe.
Desiree
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not my favorite of yours, but still a good write.... felt like the words were too constrained.
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I get to be the first to comment on this poem. How wonderful. I like it. I liked it more the third time I read it though. The first time I thought: all those names put together under a title that takes me here and there through art and images of beauty and sun and life and mystery (mostly). I like your humour (this has nothing to do with this particular poem, but I thought I'd tell you anyway.) It is so subtle and full of truths, and healthy too. I am not a very spiritual person. My spiritaul wanderings are borne from my spiritual brainwashing
and weaknesses. Each time I think I have found an answer someone tries to prove the contrary...s o how do I feel...not spiritual, not strong, not anything...b ut everything.. .and are we always reminded of something, someone - the idiosyncrasi es of being human. It's like a black and white movie in which each character is searching for the sublime answer (and colour).
I better get back to work. Thanks, Maria
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