OBSCURED BRILLIANCE

 By Katherine L. Szerdy 

A renga poem inspired by a visit to the Gaughin exhibit at the Cleveland Art museum, Dec., 2009.

Obsessed with yellow,                                  

Ocean blues, greens, sunset reds,                  

Best friends create art,                                  

Paul paints images from dreams;                  

Vincent paints what he sees now.                 

Paul likes his paint thin

Vincent prefers loaded brush

Paul, more subtle strokes

Vincent, dot dash morse code like

Both left their distinctive mark.

Nerves begin to fray

Vincent cuts off his right ear

Paul leaves for awhile

Later they become penpals

Encourage each other’s growth

They gave us the gift

To see our world through veil of

Light reflecting back

Colors, textures, beauty, from

Innovative vantage point.

We misunderstood.
They shattered the status quo,
Died in poverty.
Who is our Gaughin today?
Who is our Van Gogh today?