Gauguin

Posted on 2019-02-04 by Bartholomew Barker

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Gauguin

returned from painting
naked south seas women
to tend his friend
Van Gogh.

The painting turned out better
than his ministrations.
Perhaps our present crisis
will propel us to a better future

of worldwide topless
tropical beauty.
A mango in every pot.
Coconut water from the tap.

No stress. No fear.
No tan lines.

 

(From Paul Gauguin’s “Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?” currently in the Museum of Fine Art Boston via Living Poetry’s February Visual Poetry Prompt. Note: the bit about Gauguin and Van Gogh is mostly poetic license.)

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About Bartholomew Barker

Bartholomew Barker is an organizer of Living Poetry, a collection of poets in the Triangle region of North Carolina where he has hosted a monthly feedback workshop for more than decade. His first poetry collection, Wednesday Night Regular, written in and about strip clubs, was published in 2013. His second, Milkshakes and Chilidogs, a chapbook of food inspired poetry was served in 2017. He was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2021. Born and raised in Ohio, studied in Chicago, he worked in Connecticut for nearly twenty years before moving to Hillsborough where he lives and writes poetry.
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7 Responses to Gauguin

  1. JeanMarie's avatar JeanMarie says:
    2019-02-04 at 23:05

    The benefits of global warming?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  2. gentraveling's avatar gentraveling says:
    2019-02-05 at 09:55

    The last line put a smile on my face. No tan lines!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. erroneouschoices's avatar erroneouschoices says:
    2019-02-05 at 17:52

    No tan lines! Brilliant!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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