Center stage
“Here’s looking at you, kid.”*
See me —
I’m watching you
To see you watching
My blonde tentacles
I want to reach you
See red lust and green envy
In your eyes
I want you to want to be me
My luscious lips fill the void
In your world of pink butterflies
I want to make one veer off
I touch everyone with my tentacles
Especially
Those who want to snatch me
Bald-headed
Their Christmas eyes
Blue with longing.
*said by Humphrey Bogart to Ingrid Bergman in the film, “Casablanca”
Victoria is today’s host of dVerse. Victoria says:
And so, for today’s prompt, let’s enter the world of Pop art. Here are a few ways you may choose to do that:
• Chose a cultural phenomenon, a product, an icon/idol or mass medium as the subject of your poem.
• Write about an artist of the Pop Art Movement. There is an extensive list available on Wikipedia, as well as a wealth of information about pop art: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_Art
• Write an ekphrasis using a work of pop art.
• Browse a grocery store or mall, looking for art in the ordinary and use that for inspiration. Art is all around us.
• Create a poetic “time capsule,” a chronicle of the age and culture in which we live.
• Use repetition or shape to make your point.
I chose to use the collage I put together last night, titled, “Big Hair” and write a poem inspired by it.
Tao-Talk 
Yikes. There is something haunting about this. You blend today’s culture with the 1940’s in a way that works well and the voice reminds me of the kind of phrasing that Warhol used.
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Oh dear, maybe Andy wanted a say in this prompt. Last night the images seemed to choose themselves, no fuss no muss like usual. When I hear this I have to wonder.
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I truly loved reading this piece of art!! :)
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Thank you so much :)
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My pleasure!! :)
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Hey–this one is a zinger, a stream of consciousness ekprasis delight, with severals pinches and nods to the past. It could be used as the note card under the painting you chose. Did Warhol ever do a Bogart painting?
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What painting, Glenn? Yes, Andy did some of Bogie, and Ingrid Bergman as well :) I’m glad you enjoyed the poem.
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I’m having a little trouble putting Bogie in a field of pink butterflies! I enjoyed the journey!
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:) lol on Bogie. Glad you enjoyed it, Beverly.
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Great pop references, and the collage–of course!
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:) Thank you
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Nice last two lines with Christmas eyes blue with longing.
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Thank you, Frank.
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Well done 👍
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Thank you.
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You’re welcome 😇
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I think you captured the pop art spirit, Jade.. Well done.
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Thank you, Judy :)
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I think this was a really hard prompt and you jumped right in with both feet. Good for you. I sorta evaded the issue by talking about Pop art instead of imitating it.
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Judy, the collage happened the night before. Who knew the prompt would be perfect for it. Also, writing the poem helped me articulate what was there in it that was in my head. They say time is linear, but I wonder sometimes.
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I like the way you captured the essence of Pop Art in both the collage and the poem, Jade, and love the use of colour in ‘See red lust and green envy’ and font to emphasise ‘In your eyes’.
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Thank you, Kim!
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Very fun — I enjoyed that !!
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:) So glad you enjoyed it, Sabio.
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Good writing, Lisa. Beautiful!
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Thanks, Susan!
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Fantastic Lisa. And I love your collage!
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Thanks Linda :)
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I love “Christmas eyes” – conjured up an image for me of sparkle and snow and tinsel and giving. I wonder what was in your mind as you wrote it?
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Earlier in the poem: “See red lust and green envy” In this poem Christmas eyes are a mixed bag.
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Perfect pairing between collage and poem. Love that talking eye(I), I like the way the pairing works on several levels. For me the Eye’s speech sounds right – slightly manic, made crazy by the craziness i’s forced to witness. There’s also some way that the poem reflects the staccato juxtaposition of the images in the art – Both are composed of vivid dramatic shapes that somehow come together in a cohesive whole. I really like it.
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Very much appreciate your deconstruction of the collage and the poem, Christine. Thank you!
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This is so clever, and well done, Lisa.
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Thank you, Sara :)
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Oh….so serendipity!!! I just finished reading Lauren Bacall’s memoir and the section in her early days with Bogie is fascinating. It is in no way a “kiss and tell all” with juicy tidbits etc….rather a memoir that encompasses a lot of history and his real person…and the history of her career which also includes wonderful sections about Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracey etc. And here this post POPS up! :)
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Such a wonderful thing when it happens :) I bet Bacall’s memoir is delightful. What was Bogie really like?
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Of all the art scapes in the world and you had to write into this one :) What an excellent popart piece.
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:) Thank you!
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My pleasure Lisa.
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