inspired by “The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh and the piano composition by Kayleen Asbo by the same name
Anything will give up its secrets if you love it enough.
―George Washington Carver
You teach us how to meet the night,
the quiet shadowed pools of night,
the night outside the glow of home,
the night beyond the sleep-warm bed.
You teach us how to fall in love with night,
the violet night, deep fields of night,
the swirling, churning curves of night,
the whirling, sweeping waves of night—
and oh the stars in their spiraling
you share their gold and pink and green,
a twinkling, a burst of shine,
a firmament in which to dream—
but there’s no way to see stars
if you don’t first befriend the dark.
You teach us how to love the dark,
the verdant, fertile wholesome dark.
Oh, to love what frightens us—
to meet dark with curiousness,
Though it’s mighty, tumultuous,
you teach us the dark is generous.
Vincent, you didn’t paint your asylum’s window bars.
You showed us only night. And stars.
*
My dear friend composer/pianist/historian Kayleen Asbo and I want to offer you the video recording of our hour-long conversation about Vincent Van Gogh, loss and The Art of Creative Collaboration– click here.This project has been such an important part for each of us in holding on to hope and beauty during a dark and challenging time. If it speaks to a part of your own aching soul and you want to share it, you have our blessing to forward it to whomever you wish.
If you want to offer a donation in support of our work so that we can professionally record our project in both audio and video format, click here for our Go Fund Me account. And we have an anonymous donor who will match all funds donated before July 30!
If you want to engage in the full collaboration–Vincent’s paintings, Kayleen’s music, and my poems–I hope you will join us in “Love Letters to Vincent” on July 29, the day Vincent died, at 11 a.m. mountain time. We will present the entire collaboration, sending love letters back in time to honor this man who changed the way we see beauty. There will also be a chance to participate in a group creative activity, responding to his work, creating a giant love letter for Vincent. Sliding scale. It will be recorded and sent to all who register.
Rosemerry, for me, this poem is a love “song” with waves of musicality.
Your interpretation of Van Gogh’s Starry Night draws me in closer, like a Webb telescope revealing another time.
thank you, Kerry–I was so pulled in by it, too, the painting, and of course Kayleen’s music made it very very musical for me, too, and I love the idea of poem as telescope, revealing another time! sending you big hugs–
Oh yes, that “verdant, fertile, wholesome dark.” Where would we be without her?
Dark and getting darker? Then there’s nothing to do but to make of the body a home for darkness.
beautifully said, dear man … so much practice, we have … (um, somehow that last phrase came out sounding like Yoda?? Object, subject, verb)
I’ve loved this painting for many, many years. And now, your poem is a precious gift. Thank you, Rosemerry.🌼
thank you, Helena … it’s such a beautiful painting…
There is some fine attention to the musical sound of the words here.
The final couplet really makes the poem worthwhile.
Thank you, Brian–I am so aware of the music as I write–i am glad to hear it came across. And yes, I think so much about what he chose to paint, what he did not share …
Painting, music, poetry – how beautifully they align and enhance one another and yes, those last two lines!! xoxo
I am so in awe of Vincent … what he saw, how he shared it