Poetry Postcard 19

Remember that creative wall I was talking about a few days ago? Postcard 19 was when I slammed face-first into its bricks and crumpled in a ridiculous puddle where wall meets floor. You can still see the marks on my forehead.

It started, as all things in the 44 Postcard Project do, with a card:

“239−A BEAUTY SPOT, BELLE ISLE, DETROIT, MICH.”

Isn't it lovely? Can't you just imagine yourself strolling through those flowers and over that bridge? Well, I could not. I could only glom onto the phrase "A Beauty Spot." The kind Cindy Crawford is famous for. 

Marilyn Monroe also
had a beauty spot.

Soon, a little rhyme was running through my head. And it goes:

Belle Ilse

Deirdre had a beauty spot,
a mole, a mark, a little dot.
She looked at it more than she ought,
her lovely beauty spot.

Deirdre's beauty spot was shy
(all moles avoid the sun and sky).
It packed a case and said goodbye.
Deirdre was left to wonder why.

by Laura Shovan (I grudgingly admit it)

Maybe the beauty spot went to Belle Isle, to bury itself beneath the flower beds.

Belle Isle, Detroit will be the site of a 2013
 Grand Prix Race. Too noisy for a mole.

I did know a Deirdre once. She was the older sister of an elementary school friend. One Halloween, Deirdre took great delight in blindfolding us and making us touch eyeballs (hard boiled eggs), but I don't remember her having any moles.

Is this poem revenge at long-last? Or was I just trying to laugh myself out of mid-project doldrums? You decide.

I'd like to thank Baltimore poet, Mr. Anti-Establishment himself, David Eberhardt. David is always willing to take a playful risk with his writing, so I know he'll forgive me for sending him the "Belle Isle" postcard. It is, moles down, the goofiest poem in the project... so far.

Thanks to the tipster who recommended a current postcard art exhibit! (Sorry, I didn't write down who you were. Please send me a comment so I can credit you by name!)

The show is at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts through April 14. (Find the exhibit page here.)

A poster for the exhibit. Find out more at
the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

There is a review of the postcard exhibit at the Boston Globe online. I loved this phrase, by reviewer Mark Feeney: "few shows this year are likely to offer more in the way of enchantment than 'The Postcard Age: Selections From the Leonard A. Lauder Collection.'" 

He goes on to say, "The 700 or so examples that are on display in 'The Postcard Age' are almost without exception aesthetically pleasing, historically illuminating, or both." Road trip, anyone?

The review also has some historical information about postcards. It's well-worth reading. Visit the exhibit website itself, and you can choose a postcard to email to a friend.

The further I go into the project, the more I appreciate postcards -- their history, but also their creative possibilities. As we have seen, they make great writing and art prompts.

This postcard art project comes from the Logan School
for Creative Learning in Denver.

I love how the project requires the student to use the artist's
color scheme and style to create something new.

Later this week, I hope to introduce you to twin brothers -- one on each coast of the U.S. -- who have a longstanding tradition involving postcards.

Postcard 19 Information:

“Belle Isle, Detroit’s island park, is located in the Detroit River near the heart of the city. Here there are more than 985 acres of grandeur blended into one magnificent panorama of recreation and amusement.

UNITED NEWS CO., 24 WEST JEFFERSON AVENUE, DETROIT, MICH. ‘C.T.ART-COLORTONE’ REG. U.S. PAT. OFF.”

Read about Belle Isle as it is today.

UPDATE: Just as I said to my  husband, "I have to find a way to see this postcard show in Boston," it hit me. I am going to Boston. The AWP Conference is in March, and I will be there. To which Rob said, "You just made your own night, didn't you?" Yep.

Poetry Friday: Postcards Are Everywhere

I had a wonderful email from Linda Baie of Teacher Dance this week. It said, "Postcards are everywhere! Do you want to see more?"

Notice what the artist has added in this postcard extension:
a child reaching for bananas or for a butterfly.

Yes!

I wrote back to Linda, "I just love the idea that a postcard poem works in the same/similar way as your students' art -- as an extension of what is already there."

The project comes from Linda's school, The Logan School for Creative Learning -- a school for gifted children. Linda said, "This is an Advanced School Class of which there are three (11-14 years) and this class just happened to do this project. The teacher's name is Jamie Newton."

The assignment was to choose a postcard and complete the story, hence some art projects have the title, "Wish You Were Here."

Six Van Gogh vases expands into 24 bouquets.

I happened to choose a floral postcard for #17. Those of you who are following the project know that I've been in a mid-way rut. It began around poem/postcard 15 (remember the pelican pie?) and extended into... well, I'll let you know when it's over.

One way I tried to trick myself out of the rut was writing in a traditional form. Postcard poem #17 is a triolet. The repeating lines and tight rhyme scheme are a challenge, but a strict form is also a good way to box a large subject, such as marriage.

Cutting Gladiole on Our Anniversary

Romans named her for her sword-shaped leaves,

which pierce the bouquet-giver’s heart with passion.

I go down to the garden with rolled sleeves --

Romans named her for her sword-shaped leaves --

to cut some blooming stems. Perhaps we’ve

(my love and I) out-stayed our fair love’s ration.

Romans named her for her sword-shaped leaves,

which pierce the bouquet-giver’s heart with passion.

by Laura Shovan

Postcard Information:

Nr. 21 Gladiole/ The Gladiole/ La Gladiole © Sulamith Wülfing (View the artwork here.)

Distribution: Sulamith Wülfing BV, Runstraat 32, Amsterdam Holland”

Students at Linda's school extended their art from the postcard, adding to the visual story. I used an image of gladiolus flowers as a jumping off point to explore marriage.

(Once again, a little research -- this time on the etymology and symbolism of the gladiolus -- was required to find my "hook" into the poem. One phrase in the poem is borrowed heavily from Teleflora's website.)

More postcard extensions from Jamie Newton's talented class:

Georgia O'Keeffe has appeared in one of the postcard poems. (#13)
Can anyone confirm that this is O'Keeffe or share a title?

Adding something to the story: a bird in flight.
What will happen when the third cardinal lands?

Wisely, the artist decided that the other skiiers in this scene
should be appropriately dressed for the weather.

I'll post a few more of these wonderful postcard art projects in my next post. Thank you to Linda for sharing these with me and to Jamie Newton for giving me permission to post the photographs.

I am participating in a poetry reading this Sunday afernoon (Lit & Art Series at Balitmore's Watermark Gallery). I have collected so many postcards that I plan to give some away to other poets and artists. As you can see from the work above, postcards are great for launching creative ideas.

Today's Poetry Friday host is Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference. We are meeting for lunch on Monday and I can't wait to talk poetry with her in person.