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This Poem was Submitted By: James C. Horak On Date: 2006-02-17 20:38:07 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!

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Traded Visions

They hang there. Nothing like it elsewhere... Time cannot separate them. You see them from entry way, four schools Of art, armies of war, controversy of pigment Brush stroke, manner of surface. Eons of dispute, ravage, cyclical degradation. Canonical Revision, unclaimed stealings Pleading down and lives traded on the way Here. Resting side-by-side, as if these masters, directed By God, had so meant them. Taken in too fast, You'll weep, caring not who sees. Christ does not change, placed no less tenderly Upon one canvas, as the other Than Behind rolled stone and on that laid, dared to Rise again. As far apart, El Greco and Rubens, together Timelessly close to whisper so elegantly, He has risen.

Additional Notes:
In the Philadelphia Museum of Art, on the second floor, directly across the entrance way from the stairway vestibule, some 200 feet or so, past Van Eycks, Boticellis, even Rembrandts, are two master- pieces by two highly divergent masters, Peter Paul Rubens and El Greco. Side by side both depict the Crucifixion. The hand that placed them together was inspired.

This Poem was Critiqued By: Mark Steven Scheffer On Date: 2006-03-07 14:43:42
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.88889
JCH, Here I am working in Philly, and I'm ashamed of not having EVER gone to the Philly Museum of Art. That's a product of many things. Now I'll make it a point of going, as soon as I can. I like the focal point the short last line throws in each stanza. Very appropriate for such a central moment in the life of man. And it is interesting in context, where you're making the apposition of these paintings the central point. This has me going down the same philosophical road as MAH's poem where he questions whether the "tongue" creates the meaning, creates our "reality." Funny, because I don't think you intended that, "canonical revisions" and "unclaimed stealings" put aside. The later two phrases can pertain both to the artists and their craft and the Church and its dogma. Interesting. My favorite of yours this month. For what that's worth. MSS

This Poem was Critiqued By: arnie s WACHMAN On Date: 2006-03-05 13:22:00
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.88889
I have no arguement with this (although I'm not Christian). I do have a problem (which I've written to you before and about) the layout of this piece. It is very disconcerting and does not bode will with me. There are line breaks where I do not like to see them for it makes reading stumble, and capital letter as well. I trust that you will look into this. Note: I once saw a painting done by a S.American artist depcting the Last Supper with all the persons in the right places, etc., however, on the table was a ham!

This Poem was Critiqued By: Mark Andrew Hislop On Date: 2006-02-24 11:48:58
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
JCH This is so "realistic" throughout, and your notes seem to emphasise the "reality" of the encounter you're depicting. But the combination of the two, the message that "this is real" so (to me) emphatically stated makes me think (inveterate reader of auguries that I am): "Bloody JCH, he's throwing me a red herring, here. What does he really mean?" If this is one to be taken purely at face value, then it feels to me as if it is lacking something. If it is a pointer to something else, then I'm at a loss as to what it might be. As a, if you'll pardon the expression, "concatenation" of impressions, it did not lead to me to what I notice in your notes as really what the point of the poem is, should be or could be: "The hand that placed them together was inspired." That, to me, is the true subject of the poem which has not made it into the poem itself. What was the mysterious hand, guided by what mysterious force, that juxtaposed these two images? I think you have a world to explore in that idea, and that you have ... how shall I say? ... stopped drafting too early in the process to notice where this poem's "meat" really is. I say again, it's "The hand that placed them together was inspired." Years in advertising taught me that in writing a print ad, one often find the best headline has somehow become buried in the body copy ... but only diligent pursuit of the ad's core would reveal this to the inner eye. Your notes, here, read to me like "body copy" ... and it has a gift for you ... a gift from you to yourself that you have, I submit, overlooked. I'd love to see this one redrafted, with that "hand"-thought being brought to centre stage. MAH

This Poem was Critiqued By: DeniMari Z. On Date: 2006-02-18 20:37:55
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Dear JCH, I'll start by saying, I really liked the title for this piece - it completely fits the poem, and was eye catching as well. I'm only an hour from Phila. so, now knowing about this, will give me the opportunity to go and see if for myself. It sounds breathtaking. I love your use of "controversy of pigment", complementing "Brush stroke, manner of surface." Actually, I really enjoyed this entire piece, for the quality of the lines are perfected through this whole poem. You have done an amazing job here, the reader is completely satisfied, without having to dig deep for the meaning of this write. Best of luck this month, I will add this to my favorites list. Sincerely, DeniMari

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