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It’s A Tanka, Dear Watson

because it’s one world
the winds travel far and wide
uncontainable
existential battles there 
alter lives everywhere else

Copyright ©️ selmamartin November 2024 for Watson Series
***

Also,
For Lisa hosting TankaTuesday this week

Synonyms Only: Promise & Comfort

pledge made in earnest
familiar only to you 
ferments with disuse 
unless revived and nourished
for the strength of all in turn

Copyright ©️ selmamartin November 2024
***

Also for Sadje’s WDYS prompt 261
Please click the link to see the phenomenal image the tanka alludes to.
WDYS
Keep it Alive

Respect All Life
(Keep It Alive)

son of the mountains
daughter of oceans’ inmost spread
child of happy boons
be true to your nativeness
tend to what can’t be left to chance

Copyright ©️ selmamartin November 2024

About The Featured Image:
Public Domain

A City on a Rock
Style of Goya Spanish

 On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 641

https://images.metmuseum.org/CRDImages/ep/original/DP-17460-001.jpg?_gl=1*174zxs3*_gcl_au*MzYzMTQ1MzIxLjE3MzA3OTgwMzQ.*_ga*NTk4ODcwNTY5LjE3MDE2ODYxNjg.*_ga_Y0W8DGNBTB*MTczMDc5ODAzNC4xMC4xLjE3MzA3OTgyNjEuMC4wLjA.

This nightmarish vision of a city encircled by violence, its sky populated by mysterious
flying creatures, was believed to be by Goya when it was purchased by an American
collector in Spain in the 1880s. Today, it is thought to be by one of Goya’s emulators.
The artist has exaggerated Goya’s rugged paint handling and made a pastiche of many
of his motifs. The winged figures are taken from a print in Goya’s Disparates (translated
as “Follies” or “Irrationalities”) series, while the apocalyptic landscape recalls Goya’s
so-called Black Paintings, which had been little known in his lifetime but grew in fame
over the nineteenth century.

***

Credit Line: H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number: 29.100.12

THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING

Selma Martin
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This Post Has 8 Comments

  1. Sadje

    Beautifully written in response to both challenges Selma. Loved your take. Thanks for joining in.

  2. VJ

    Nice take on the interconnectedness of all life, Selma

  3. willowdot21

    Oh Selma I am blown away by this beautiful post full of wonderful poetry 💜💜💜

  4. D.L. Finn, Author

    Love them, Selma 🙂

  5. Balroop Singh

    What an amazing image, Selma. Thanks for sharing the history behind it. Art is indeed a reflection of past hat should not be forgotten. Your poems are beautifully penned especially the one that is linked to the art.

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