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Thursday, March 7, 2013

Artistic Interpretations with Margaret - Yemaya Oshun


Hello Toad's and fellow poets.  I, Margaret, will be hopping in here from time to time to bring you a poetic challenge incorporating original art work.  For the near future, I hope to mine my daughter's artwork.

The above is Chelsea's finished body painting depicting the African Mythological Goddess, Yemaya Oshun.  It is her wish all poems in some way stick to this theme.

Google this name and many versions evolve:

1)   Oshun was an African Mythological Queen of great beauty, sweetness, and lively nature and daughter to Yemaya, the goddess of all waters.

2)  Yemaya Oshun is one persona depicting all described.

3)  Oshun is Mother of the African sweet or fresh waters and her mother, Yemaya, is mother of the salt waters.

The list goes on.  I thought about linking a few articles, but decided to let you google this name and do the research.


I invite you to visit Chelsea's blog post HERE showing a bit of the process in creating the above image.

Chelsea has given permission for her artwork above to be copied and used with poems created for this challenge if they are linked back to this post using the Linky below.  There is a wide berth of creative expression, however, if Chelsea deems a poem tasteless and offensive, she retains the right to have the image removed.

Please apply what you learn in any poetic form you like and please share your artistic interpretations by linking up below and visiting others.  I can't WAIT to see what your beautiful minds create.


22 comments:

  1. This post moved me to stay awake, but I thank you for the inspiration, Margaret and Chelsea. It feels appropriate to research and think about Yemaya Oshun on the dawning of international women's day. Have a happy one. Invoke the ancestors!

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  2. Such a beautiful image, Margaret. There is so much to inspire in the colours and the legend.

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  3. A lovely post Margaret ~ Your daughter is very talented ~

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  4. This is just a gorgeous work of art, Margaret, and a very intriguing theme. My day today is shot for writing, but will see if anything percolates through later.

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  5. I'm out of town for the week, but hope to have the opportunity to respond here. I just perused her website and must say, Chelsea is quite a talent!

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  6. This is really quite a big topic for one day. So many versions of this name. Please, I'd love it if you take your time and return at a later date. Truly, better late than never. We also have Open Link Monday.

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  7. Had a bit of a snafu... my 3rd link can be deleted as the 2nd seems to be working fine now. I have to run out the door and don't have time to fix it ;P

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  8. My poem just flowed today, pardon the pun, because I can relate to a goddess of all waters. My father, who wrote about the rivers of our native British Columbia, often referred to "the river gods" and I knew just what he meant.
    K

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  9. You didn't think for a minute that I would miss your challenge, did you, Margaret? ;-)

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    1. Shay, I hoped this prompt would inspire. I wish I could have given a choice of all the students work but not everyone had photographs.

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  10. Intriguing...working on it now!
    Just hope my house doesn't blow away...crazy here!

    Love this unique challenge :D

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  11. Thank you so much Margaret for sharing your daughter's beautiful art as inspiration. She is so talented.

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  12. What a creative daughter you have, Margaret!

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  13. "ONLY Once "

    This song wings its way to you,
    The most beautiful history of a love~
    It is a love letter the wild wind paints
    Over my voice, and will not find
    Its waiting empty mailbox~

    There’s nothing more exquisite
    Than what I never had,
    And nothing more beloved
    Than what I lost~
    Forgive me, please,
    If today I seek and sift
    Through the wetland sand
    For that spotless full moon
    That with murmurs scratched the sea with moss~

    If I once was an errant homeless bird,
    I have forgotten those colliding seas
    In the nesting of your arms ajar;
    If I once was beautiful and another blessed,
    It was when you entwined me
    ‘round your warm neck and breast....

    If I once was wise in love,
    I learned it from your songbird lips,
    If I once loved, if one day I truly loved,
    After having made love,
    It was only because of your kiss~

    Your memories by the day become sweeter,
    For the past only took half of you...
    Your shadow still rests in my bed
    Between my flattened pillow
    and my depressed solitude.

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  14. Wow. That's a really good poem up there, girlwiththepen. Especially the ending.

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  15. I am a bit late with my link and with the poem as well for that matter. Decided to post it anyway. I ended up writing about it kind of spontaneously without really thinking about writing to the prompt. Then after I had written it, it seemed to me to speak to the photo and the painting and the idea of the water goddess.

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  16. Peggy. Glad you posted late. I mean there is always Open link Monday as well. :).

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  17. Hello, I might try again on Monday!
    My house has been noisy today~
    I blurred the lines between this prompt and Grace's

    Your daughter is so talented :D

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  18. Margaret,
    Your daughter's art is absolutely amamzing! Everything you post is just spectacular. I loved working on this because the image was compelling in itself but I also learned some mythology. Thanks so much and sorry I was so late in posting!

    to Girlwiththepen: Your poem brought tears to my eyes. Beautiful in its longing.

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Much time and effort went into this post! Your feedback is appreciated.