'After the Bath'

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Thu, 10 Oct 2013
  • 2478 reads
12 comments
 

‘Exactness is not truth’, so said

Matisse, and as for Degas, did he

think the same way?

 

Would he have ‘airbrushed’ out

my slight ‘orange-peel’ thighs...

romanticised the ‘not-so-concave’

curve of my hips –

 

my breasts, with a hint of a blush

in between, slightly at odds, one

with the other?

 

Would he have overlooked the mole

on my left buttock, and ignored

the way my hair, annoyingly,

tries to escape – fugitive tendrils

teasing a turban of a towel?

 

And sitting here now – cigarette

between my fingers – a light

drizzle outside – a red Ferrari

on my mind...contemplating

making dinner –

 

wonder how he got so many women

to take off their clothes for him,

and given half a chance would

I have, or indeed would he even

have asked?

 

Certificate PG
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Miscellaneous

Comments

Submitted by VeraClark on

I would have stripped off in a second. I'm sure you would! What's a few silverfish marks on the hips between artistic friends? This is my favourite version, Tina - full of solidarity for the female muse and the distracted contemplation made me smile.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Hi there, Vera...and just between you and me, moi aussie;-)

I enjoyed 'flying the flag', for us 'real' women, Vera, and I'm pleased you enjoyed it too.

Have a great weekend.

Tina

 

Submitted by Steve on

Some artists have an animal magnetism like Marlon Brando or Picasso, but they are absolute destroyers of women. In the movie, "The Incredible Lightness of Being," the main character asks a nurse to take her clothes off and she does. Women stripped for artists because they were poor and needed the money. I'm sure they stripped for free too. There's a very tense stanza in your poem that I like very much and it is very much a crystallization of the whole poem itself. "And sitting here now - cigarette/ between my fingers, a light/ drizzle outside - a red ferrari /on my mind... contemplating/ making dinner -" Really perfect. That stanza would not be a Degas, but a Modigliani or a Matisse, maybe even Picasso. The narrator is sitting somewhat uncomfortably, smoking a cigarette in the kitchen? "A red ferrarri/ on my mind," a picture of sexual and bodily perfection.... a desire for overdrive... "cigarette and light" is nice too. "contemplating" layers the stanza and "making dinner" brings everything down to reality. This actually is more like a Matisse with his fauvists colors expressing all the life within the subject. Degas with his sharp angles almost seems to express a hidden violence or a fetishization of women, a classist condescension.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Hello Steve, as ever, an in depth look at my 'poetic ramblings'.  Very much appreciated.  You have a way of putting things I really admire. Thank you for your time, trouble, expertise, and your attention to detail.

Tina

 

Submitted by Bee on

I love this poem.

Bee

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Bee...and I, your comment;-)

Tina

 

Submitted by Yume1254 on

The title for this is just perfect. The third stanza sums the mood up for me and reassures me about...well, life...at the same time. Feel free to ignore me if that makes no sense. More please Silver Spun Sand!

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Yume, you make more than perfect sense;-)  Thank you, so very much, for sharing your much valued thoughts, and I'm so pleased you enjoyed.

Tins

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Having been on both ends of the brush so to speak,  you've captured the artists perspective of what is seen.  All of us see things in different ways and what is capture can be so individual.  As in poetry I'm always amazed at your use of words and how you can bring such vibrancy to a piece.  Yes I definitely would have taken my clothes off and posed for any artists back in my younger days and for free.  Thanks for sharing this  poem Tina.   Jenny. 

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Hi there, Jenny.  And I think I would have too;-)

So pleased you enjoyed, and I guess I've been on both ends of the brush as well;-)

Tina

 

Submitted by The royster on

   Who cares about a few blemishes on one with a beautiful mind.  After all no one is perfect.  I hate these plastic females. Excellent as always   Roy  

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Roy.  Very much;-)

Tina