Sunday, July 8, 2012

Urban Dreams

                                                                 Chilmark Hay, 1951 by Thomas Hart Benton


he dreams 
of cornfields and hay strewn farm 
of table laden of fresh milk and bread
of simple life beneath the lavender sky

he sees
the city choked in dust and twisted steel
the street filled with foreign made goods 
the night complicated by debts and politics

he paints
heartland drawn from honest work
soil that his ancestors toiled and spilled blood  
countryside so his children may find their future, 


rooted in this land  


Posted for The Mag:   Thomas Hart BentonMore about the painter here.

I am proud to have this poem published in Nain Rogue, September 2012 (page 21).  Thanks to D'verse Poets Community for the support.

31 comments:

  1. A very difficult thing to have even though it is but a simple thing to wish for. I feel a bit of sadness reading this. The things written about in your middle stanza threatens to overwhelm being able to just be simple. Good poem.

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  2. You reminder me of the simple life, a life well lived!

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  3. i know which one i would want!!...lovely imagery here..x

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  4. Beautiful... farmers hearts always lay within their land!

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  5. I've had both, which is best?

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  6. Nice Grace you know I live in the countryside. And im ok you cant have all lol
    But my kids have 18 and now dont want live here sigh! They think is bettet in the city! Is sad:(

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  7. Lots of nice textures and themes woven together here...

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  8. yes the simple life, as my gram said: mind your business, find work to
    do with your hands and seek a spiritual connection.

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  9. hey i wasn't finished yet... in your poem you
    illustrate how satisfying the simple life can be. thank you.

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  10. i love the last stanza and esp the last line... very nice!

    JJRod'z

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  11. Really good work, Grace. One of your best, I think.

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  12. Getting more and more difficult to live a simple life these days too. This is lovely Grace.

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  13. I love last stanza especially where he is painting countryside so his children may find their future. Lovely poem.

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  14. All places one wishes to be at times, nicely captured.

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  15. Great! He dreams...He sees... Very diferent life! But the dreams should become true! He should never forget this...

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  16. beautiful dream

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  17. smiles...i would like to think we all hope for a better future for our children...i have my feet in a little of each....

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  18. Hey you a farmers daughter Grace ? , sounds like you have first hand experience ! Thanks

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    Replies
    1. The family of my mom owned lands and fishponds. When we were young, we would visit during summer. But we moved to the city and grew up away from land. Maybe when I am retired, I will go back and live there. Thanks for the visit ~

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  19. i swear i commented on this, this morning...i live with my feet in both these worlds...and i think we all have dreams for our children to go on to places we never went...as long as they are where they want, i am happy...

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  20. He sees, dreams, paints .... this is lovely.

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  21. ....and all his dreams and visions offer us lovely reminders of what life is all about!

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  22. "...he paints
    heartland drawn from honest work
    soil that his ancestors toiled and spilled blood
    countryside so his children may find their future,

    rooted in this land"

    A pleasant reminder to remember our roots, no matter where we live. Beautiful.

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  23. Lovely.

    Makes me want to check out more of this artist's work.

    =)

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  24. Strong images in each of these threads dreaming, seeing, painting. And the lavender sky? - perfect.

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  25. Beautiful and so appropraiate to the image. Great work... HE...

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  26. I often wondered if painters paint their dreams, and which is the seed.
    Love the simplicity and quiet of this
    ~rick

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  27. A dreamer, a painter and a person with a vision for his children. Like Tess said, the textures and themes are divine. Thank you for sharing this inspiring poem, Grace. =D

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  28. Now I live in the tropics but I too have had both in England. I always liked to be in the things so once I moved to London I was in my element. We lived 20 minutes from the West End of London so had everything from culture, theatre, galleries, restaurants, shopping to the other side, 20 minutes from the lush countryside after suburbia. I had the best of both worlds but the reality is I was a 'townie' and when my husband wanted to move out into the country (a mere 15 miles from the West End) I had a fit of the vapours! Yes I had green wellies and a Barbour but they can be worn in London on school runs,

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