Poems from "Velocity" show - at long last!

Poet Marilyn Hazelton has compiled the poems written by artists and the public at the "Velocity" show closing in June. She requested that they be posted here. Thanks to Marilyn for leading us through a great creative exercise, and thanks to those who participated. Enjoy!

From Marilyn:

A Meditation on Writing from Art

To walk into a gallery, allow a work of art to extend an invitation, accept, and begin to interact with that painting, sculpture, or entire room adds an unusual layer to the art process and becomes it’s own form of art.

Artists and family and friends of artists added that artistic effort to the opening and closing receptions for “Velocity”, the Chen Art Group’s summer show at the Allentown Art Museum.

The resulting poems reflect the viewers’ visual responses and perceptions, as well as memories and reflections, evoked by the art.

The Poems:

Many thanks to Susan Weaver and Marilyn Hazelton for co-hosting the writing event at the Closing Reception of “Velocity”, to Wilhelm Schmidt for his assistance in typing many of the writings below, and to all who participated.

for the Chen Arts Show

Human murmurs, conversations

The walls stand quiet, waiting for attention.

“Hear us” the works say

“Interact with us.

Enter into relationship.”

Silent they wait as we turn to face them.

Georgine Miller

Balancing Act

After "Coffee Cups 5" by Glenn Lash

Glaze shimmers

on that twist

of dough

dunked forever

in a turquoise mug.

Above,

a clattering cup

tips a splash

of joe.

A doughnut

draws my gaze—

circled with an eternity

of chocolate icing.

It wears an upturned cup

like a

teetering top hat.

Poised on its lid,

a potter's spiraling

vortex,

dizzying

as a sugar rush.

I drink to this

off-kilter

totem

to hedonism

and that

all-American

institution ...

the coffee break.

Susan Weaver

Memories from the front line.

Inspired by Lee Leckey’s painting “Center Front”

Veil concealing ghosts of recent past.

Center, drive, round and round, crosses, lines.

How did they begin,

Forms, fields, patches, life?

Penetrating, one by one,

Repeating actions memorized.

Waning, waxing, taking center front, interrupted,

Memories run off.

Leading, one by one,

Eyes toward unpredictable future.

One by one,

Circles, ground, sky.

Rafael J. Cañizares-Yunez


Glimpses and Reminiscences

I see my salvation walking towards the enemy

Waiting to strike in the name of God

Although the enemy is the devil, he has taken a deceiving look

In the eyes of a peaceful soldier, the deadly swan is the worst enemy

But, in the eyes of a human, it is just a swan

In between the rivals is the sign of Jesus’ mother

Who is defending the rights of all human race

Kamilah Velez

For “3 Piece Man”

a sculpture by Heather Haas

Tripartite -

arc and trough

of skin and bone,

the negative space

carries weight, emotion,

defines life

thinly suspended

by a rod of steely resolve.

We are often cut thus.

Perhaps this stark white shell

is a cocoon

already shed,

the true self

transformed.

Ann Corbett Burke

Alley in Autumn

After "Emmett Street, Allentown" by Joseph Skrapits

Narrow houses crowd

Emmett Street

like neighbors talking

over the back fence

before winter closes in.

To a wall of aqua blue

the phone pole's shadow,

a compass needle,

points up the alley,

collects my eye

from its

distraction

by a swath of fence

painted persimmon

in afternoon sun.

An oak tree waits

for wind to drift leaves

and open a view

skyward

past peaked roofs

that will change beyond return

this half-street moment,

this autumn brilliance

captured

on the artist's canvas.

Susan Weaver

for “Emmett Street” by Joe Skrapits

Florence! Oh skip it

And all the cousins would laugh

The headless house man

or

no more peanuts please

Bill Villa


“Surf’s Up”

for a sculpture by Wilhelm Schmidt

Roots soaring

after the storm,

wings of wood swirl

upward from the vortex.

Enchanted,

I see a hole

nearly hidden:

the eye

of dark disturbance,

an epicenter

from which is flung

pure joy.

Ann Corbett Burke

Surf’s Up

for a sculpture by Wilhelm Schmidt

Wild whorl wings

Movement caught trembling

Windblown

In polished wood

Shape glanced sidelong

Eye seizing

Grappling

Almost

Fleeting

Gone

Paul Blaney

Zero Gravity

For “Escape Velocity” by Sereno Jacob

Shivering, thunderous metal plates

Meet the Stratosphere.

In only moments sky will be gone.

Free of ground.

Free of air.

A blank page, as black as all nights.

A chance to start new.

Anonymous

For “Hyper View” by Rick Hildenbardt

You are wild you are free

You herd together for life support

Your life is carved from the land

Along comes man

And you are now only a memory

Carved in wood on a wall

Anonymous


or “Cotterman’s Tornado” by Ryan Fulton

A naked boy quietly contemplating the stars

Gazing toward the heavens

+ knowing that they’re ours

Peering eyes, fixed on the skies

Before the Mexican temple

At home + at peace

Sarah Fulton

For “Untitled Cow Drawing” by Greg Weaver

Just A Few Squiggles

Comical simple tail to head drawing

A squiggly cow, makes you join smiling

Across the meadow frolicking

On a lark, just sailing

Ears and tail compelling

Care-free romp tale-telling

Heard from stories trailing

Cathy Botch

Solace

for” Solastaglia”

Button dropped, and then again found

Now contained, still, no sound

Worn with pride, in a far off place

Released from threads, hanging in space

Newly used, in the past for closure,

Semi-revealed, a partial exposure

Once held in fingers, young and old

Suddenly art, impossible to hold

We live, we pass, but once we come through

In art, as in life, we are created anew

Graham Lustig

for “Shy Geoff” by Yodi

Splatters and squiggles of paint

Fly like confetti in a parade

Or streamers at a childhood celebration

As Geoffrey watches Yodi

Play with paper

Angie Villa

for “The Patriot Act” by Georgina Miller

Forlorn expression looking back

The eyes must say what the mouth can’t

Face recessed in white and red

While blue muzzles what is said

Zehra Follweiler

for” Marley’s Trail”

Beauty is all around us

In nature

In animals

In creativity

Beauty created by God

Dog hike. Straight trees and

Flowing blades of grass. Get lost

On the path, enjoy the journey

Anonymous

Lake Erie Sunset

For a photograph by Jeff Williams of the same name

Fingers

of ice

and fire

reach for light,

like a hand rising

into the play of winter.

Beyond this,

beyond

other eruptions

between sheets

of frozen beach,

a slim slice

of water

borders

ice peaks

rising and falling

in conversation

with God

disguised

as sky.

Marilyn Hazelton