"The Golden Period" Of Gustav Klimt

A picture is worth a thousand words.  That is how I felt as I read Jorie Graham's "Two Paintings by Gustav Klimt".  I actually pulled up the picture of Buchenwald on my computer, and after each stanza I read, I looked at my computer, and understood where Graham was coming from with her words about this painting.  It is an exquisite painting. "These timeless masterpieces of sensuality and power are the most expensive paintings in the world"(klimtreproductions.blog.com).  As I read Graham's poem, I felt like I was in the wooded area, feeling each line she depicted of Klimt's painting.  The only part of this that throws me is how can a painting look as beautiful as it does, and the painter names it after a Nazi concentration camp?  I feel that puts a damper on the painting.  That isn't the kind of power I was thinking the painting was giving off to his spectators.  I guess in a way, people can have their own thoughts of a picture, no matter what the name is called.  Graham spoke of a second painting that was half finished by Klimt as well.  Line 64-68 states "he had begun to paint a delicate garment (his trademark) over this mouth of her body.  I actually looked up what his "trademark" was and according to a source I found, Klimt enjoyed "a lone woman in a plain environment wearing an elaborate outfit"(abcgallery.com).  I wonder if that was the "trademark" that Graham was describing.  Between the poem and the painting, I very much enjoyed both.

Works Cited:

http://www.abcgallery.com/K/klimt/klimtbio.html

http://klimtreproductions.blog.com/2010/09/19/buchenwald-birchwood/

The Picture that I searched on the internet:

http://klimtreproductions.blog.com/2010/09/19/buchenwald-birchwood/

Kenneth Koch's "One Train Hides Another"

This poem really made me torn.  I agreed and disagreed with certain aspects of what Koch was trying to say here!  I printed out and read the poem first, and I couldn't help but think it was like listening to my parents telling me what to do.  He seemed kind of bossy, yet fair and stern on the points he was trying to get across.

 When Koch said "So, when you are courting, it's best to have them all in view otherwise in coming to find one you may love another", this actually made me laugh! I am sure that both men and women can relate to this at some point in their life.  The New York School of Poets were known to be ironic and I definitely felt that in this poem.

As I listened to the poem being read through Youtube, it reminded me of that Baz Lurrmann song "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)".  The way he was reading it sounded exactly like this musician and also the words just explained what to do and what not to do for your own good in life.  The only thing that confused me a bit is why he said "In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve may hide the real Adam and Eve. Jerusalem may hide another Jerusalem"(Koch).  Was he trying to explain something that religion isn't what it seems?  I mentioned this in one of my discussions earlier about his line right after the Adam and Eve line that says "When you come to something, stop to let it pass so you can see what else is there"(Koch).  I disagree with this line. My analogy that I used earlier was about my playing Softball.  I NEVER let the first pitch pass me by if it is a strike.  I swing because I KNOW I will not get another pitch just like it or even better.  So letting this moment or pitch pass me by, I just can't sometimes.  I do not believe that anyone should let anything in life pass them by. Although there may be thoughts that something else can be there, what if you miss out on all the things you keep passing by? I agreed and disagreed with Koch but I definitely loved the emotions with this poem!

Works Cited:
Koch, Kenneth."One Train Hides Another".http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15592. July 12, 2011.