Under an Influence; Anxiety Lost In Translation; Blocking Writer's Block- Weekend Mini!

Hey Toads.  I have recently started painting a little, maybe as art therapy. Sure, for years I've dabbled in elephants, but I wanted to do something different. 

It was difficult.  What should I paint?  How could I dare even begin?  Doing anything from life seemed honestly pretty daunting.



Then I got the idea of simply looking at paintings of artists I like and using their pieces as “jumping off” points. I started sometimes by just looking at a particular painting and trying to copy (sort of) bits I liked--images, colors, whole vases--





Of course, pretty soon, each of my paintings diverged from my source.  First- because I just am not very good!  Secondly, because I have been using a different medium--watercolor--from most of my source paintings. Third, my paintings have diverged simply because they are MY paintings, and (as I would get working, I would become more absorbed in my own piece).

Still, the technique has allowed me (i) to lessen my very significant anxiety about trying to make any art at all; and (ii) to expand significantly my artistic subject matter (as in, I now do dolphins and not just little dogs!) 



In thinking of how to translate this painting technique into a poetry prompt, I focused on the word “translate,” which seemed to offer a key.

So, here goes:

Take a poem written by someone else.  It doesn't have to be a favorite poem, but one that interests you.  It can be a poem written in English, or another language, if you prefer (but that's up to you.) Read the poem a few times over, ingest it.  Then sit down and write your own poem.

If you like, you can think of your source poem as you write, even look back at it, thinking of how you might “translate” it into your own particular tongue.  By your tongue, I mean, not just your own poetic vernacular, but your life experience, the imagery that speaks to you, your view of the world. 



You could also think of yourself and your own poetic vocabulary as being “translated” by your source poem.  I mean “translate” here in the way it was sometimes used by Shakespeare, as in “transform,” as when Bottom in Midsummer’s Night Dream was “translated” into an ass.  (Ha!  And maybe this prompt is a bit asinine--sorry!)  

But the point is to take a poem you admire and allow yourself to be influenced by it.  Or not. The influence can show.  Or not.  But the hope is that your source poem may help you expand your own poetic sphere, and that it also can be a kind of companion to you as you write, lessening the anxiety that can dog anyone doing something creative. 

So, once more, as I know this is a bit confusing.  Pick a poem you like that has not been written by you. Ingest it a little.  And then write something of your own.

Please approach this in a very free way.  I am not suggesting plagiarism!  I am not looking for paint by number.  You do not have to write a response to your source poem. You do not have to put a poem into modern English.  (Although if someone writes about a big black bird sitting on a chimney piece saying “forgeddaboutit!” I’ll certainly laugh.)



You do not have to acknowledge your source poem, but feel free to.   

So, dive in!

In terms of the paintings I am posting here--they are all mine but their sources are, in order, Paul Klee, Marc Chagall, Odilon Redon, Andy Warhol, Minos Temple in Crete, Odilon Redon again, a Plains Indians Drum,  Kathy Bradford, Paul Klee again and again. Of course, anyone is free to use any image, though they are pretty goofy!  (Please do give credit if you use to Karin Gustafson/Manicddaily.)

As always, visit your cohorts.