dVerse — OLN 370 — Ladies and Gentlemen

hopper hotel-lobby.jpg!LargeHotel Lobby, 1943,” by Edward Hopper

Ladies and Gentlemen

Legs are the last to go,
draped in silk or cotton;
unlike neck or bottom
that, despite treatments, show
wrinkled, unrisen dough,
overcooked, coiled ramen.

Dicks are the first to go,
hungry prima donas,
brainless, seek nirvanas;
power, lust make them grow
-- until one day they don’t.
Blue pill popped iguana.

Affix in mind, above
shells of this life, love. Love.

HexSonnetta form

The very first things I noticed in the painting (after recognizing it as a Hopper) were the two women’s legs, and I used them as the seeds. Please note that the poem is intended to be light-hearted.

Sanaa is today’s host for dVerse’ Open Link Night. Sanaa has presented us with Edward Hopper’s painting and asked us to write an ekphrastic poem inspired by the art. Not to brag or anything – ok, I’m bragging — but our local museum provides a home to Hopper’s, New York Restaurant.

54 Comments Add yours

  1. Ha– love the way you included the legs, and that man seems to need those blue pills.

    Liked by 5 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Bjorn, their legs were the only bright spot in the whole thing! And yes, he did. I did not imagine Hopper looked like that. And yes on the pills.

      Liked by 2 people

  2. sanaarizvi's avatar sanaarizvi says:

    This is such a powerful take on the Hopper painting, Lisa! I am thrilled to learn that your local museum is home to “New York Restuarant” wow .. 😍😍

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks, Sanaa. About the painting: within the last year or so, it took a trip to NYC, loaned for a Hopper exhibit. I love how museums allow loans like that. We recently borrowed a bunch of the work of John Steuart Curry (Tornado Over Kansas, which we also have) for a big exhibit. It was impressive!

      Liked by 2 people

  3. :) blue pill popped – for once not political!

    Liked by 5 people

  4. kim881's avatar kim881 says:

    I enjoyed your light-hearted hex sonetta, Lisa, and yes, I noticed the legs too. These lines are so true of most women these days:

    ‘unlike neck or bottom
    that, despite treatments, show
    wrinkled, unrisen dough,
    overcooked, coiled ramen’.

    Liked by 5 people

      1. kim881's avatar kim881 says:

        My pleasure,Lisa.

        Liked by 2 people

  5. Unknown's avatar Anonymous says:

    😊 yes indeed. i luv the mood

    much♡love

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks, Gillena!

      Liked by 2 people

  6. Ha! I like the juxtaposition of the last line of the first stanza and the first line of the second.
    “overcooked, coiled ramen.

    Dicks are the first to go”

    The swift transition made me laugh.🤣

    Liked by 5 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Melissa, thanks for pointing that out (figuratively) as I didn’t notice it. Now you have me laughing :)

      Liked by 3 people

  7. Ain - UA's avatar Ain says:

    The rhythm is just right! That really brings the delicious humour out…! Really love this!

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Ain, pleased that you are pleased. I had fun with it.

      Liked by 2 people

  8. merrildsmith's avatar merrildsmith says:

    A light-hearted commentary, Li!

    I noticed their legs, too. 😊 Maybe Hopper really liked legs.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks, Merril. I had to wonder if the blond was his mistress and his wife was wondering that same thing. Is he holding his coat to make a quick getaway?

      Liked by 3 people

      1. merrildsmith's avatar merrildsmith says:

        Interesting. I hadn’t considered that.

        Liked by 2 people

  9. Colleen@ LOOSELEAFNOTES's avatar Colleen@ LOOSELEAFNOTES says:

    I noticed the blond lady’s shoes first and like them. I’m always shopping I guess.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      They are nice shoes :)

      Liked by 1 person

  10. crazy4yarn2's avatar crazy4yarn2 says:

    Funny and packed a punch – getting older is no fun.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks, Nolcha.

      Liked by 2 people

  11. 1renrising's avatar ren says:

    i noticed the legs too!! (not the dick). but i guess that is the point since it seems to have “gone “missing”. still smiling :)

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Ren, you crack me up.

      Liked by 2 people

  12. memadtwo's avatar memadtwo says:

    The legs definitely stand out. And the figures deliberately makes a triangle. So your comment about wife and mistress seems possible. (K)

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Ah! K, didn’t notice that triangle! At least not consciously!

      Liked by 2 people

      1. memadtwo's avatar memadtwo says:

        Our minds have their own minds.

        Liked by 2 people

        1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

          like nesting dolls. maybe it’s minds all the way down…

          Liked by 2 people

  13. rothpoetry's avatar rothpoetry says:

    What an interesting take on the painting, Lisa.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks, Dwight! Like I mentioned elsewhere, it started with the light on their legs and went from there.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. rothpoetry's avatar rothpoetry says:

        :>) I think you hit the nail on the head! No pun intended!

        Liked by 2 people

  14. M's avatar M says:

    had me chuckling, Lisa ~

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Happy to hear it :)

      Liked by 2 people

  15. Whatever he just proposed to her, she looks aghast.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      LOL maybe he suggested a threesome? Just like a man.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Whatever it was, she wasn’t having any of it!

        Liked by 2 people

  16. Unknown's avatar Anonymous says:

    Light-hearted it was Lisa! I loved this so much.

    Dicks are the first to go,
    hungry prima donas,
    brainless, seek nirvanas;
    power, lust make them grow
    — until one day they don’t.
    Blue pill popped iguana.

    i am still laughing 🤣

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Someone, Thanks! Glad you got a giggle out of it.

      Liked by 1 person

  17. This is great!! Thanks for my morning smile. Legs are the last to go, but ….ha!

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Yvonne, glad it made you smile. I smiled as I wrote it.

      Liked by 1 person

  18. shaun tenzenmen's avatar tenzenmen says:

    What a great imaginative write! Light hearted but serious too.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Shaun, thank you for noticing.

      Liked by 2 people

  19. I love Edward Hopper’s work — and this piece !

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      I do also. Cool, with fabulous color combinations.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Yes, and I think he really captures light in a deep, meaningful way.

        Liked by 2 people

  20. Haha! Li, your little gem blew away the Monday blues! Love your sense of humour. ❤️😀

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Pleased as punch this hit your funny bone. Thanks :)

      Liked by 2 people

  21. Carol anne's avatar Carol anne says:

    Lol this is good li :D

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli says:

      Thanks much, Carol Anne :)

      Like

Leave a reply to memadtwo Cancel reply