My children’s poets group is finishing up writing a poem a day for the month of February. When we started I wondered how many poems we would actually write. Turns out we’ve each written a poem a day, sometimes two. Between the four of us we have written over a hundred poems this month. It’s been a rich experience in so many ways.
Today I wrote an ekphrastic poem (a poem inspired by a piece of art) on Grant Wood’s painting Spring Turning. You can view the painting here: http://www.reynoldahouse.org/collections/object/spring-turning. I decided to write it as a pantoum, a form I’ve long enjoyed and admired, but felt daunted to try. (In a pantoum the second and fourth lines of one stanza are repeated in the first and third lines of the next stanza.) Thanks to being on day 27 of a poem a day, I put “daunted” aside, and wrote.
Thank you to Anastasia Suen for hosting Poetry Friday. Visit http://www.pinterest.com/anastasiabooks/poetry-friday-22814/ for plentiful links to poetry.
Pantoum on Spring Turning
inspired by Spring Turning by Grant Wood, 1936
pulling plows, preparing for planting
around the edge of a grand square they go
horses are a farmer’s helpmates
turning hills of grass to growing places
around the edge of a grand square they go
working horses who sleep in warm barns
turning hills of grass to growing places
hills to be filled with food
working horses who sleep in warm barns
pulling plows, preparing for planting
hills to be filled with food
horses are a farmer’s helpmates
© Karin Fisher-Golton, 2014
Karin Fisher-Golton 
Perfect form to use with this painting, circling in on itself! Nicely done 🙂
Thank you, Tabatha! I agree–that painting, which I’ve wanted to write about for a while, really called me out to try a pantoum.
Lovely. I agree. The form seems ideal for the subject. It gives a sense of the plowing up and down and the seasons turning and the food growing and consumed.
Thank you for that comment. I like thinking of all the many cycles connected to the spring turning.
Karin, what a fascinating painting — so unusual in style compared to so many works of art with ag as the theme. I’m glad you were undaunted and took the pantoum challenge — nice work!
Thanks, Keri! There is so much to Grant Wood beyond American Gothic. (Though I like that one, too!)
Great job with the pantoum. I tend to shy away from forms other than haiku and tanka, so brava! The painting looks like the background to a video game–bright and no subtlety at all unless you look closely.
Thank you! It is striking how very subtle the subtlety in the painting is.
I read your poem with out going to the image link. I imagined it. Your words are vivid enough to stand alone. A true test of ekphrasis.
Thank you so much for letting me know that about your experience of my poem. I love that you imagined the painting from the words. I’m all smiley.
This made me smile (remembering my poem a day in January and looking forward to April): “Thanks to being on day 27 of a poem a day, I put “daunted” aside, and wrote.”
Thank you! I love the notion that we (or I) could do it again in a few months. I’m torn between relief that it’s over and really missing it already.
Kudos to you and your poets’ group for all writing a poem a day! Very impressive. By the results of Day 27, I’d say your courage, and this whole experience, has paid off for you. Well done!
Thank you! It was a great experience in so many ways.