Banvard's Folly

Tuesday 16th August 2011 5:54 pm

Originally Published in Juked Banvard's Folly



	by c.a. leibow

	"Does anyone still want to go with me into a panorama?" —Max Brod The sun floats down river Resting from a long day. As Banvard draws love Birds in the sand. She tries to explain How his deformity angers her. Unable, she leaves him On the other side of the shore. Banvard becomes a traveling salesman, A campfire fiddler, A drunk, a painter of shores. Yearning for her— He turns her into the Mississippi shore. Riding the long river, floating On a brush, he paints her portrait. Huge bolts of love The canvas sags from longing Immense wood contraption (Gears-pulleys crank machinery) Three miles of canvas. An uninterrupted portrait. The papers publish the spectacle "The hunch back painter and his panorama!" He builds a wooden stage Winds up river then down. The lines are long, (.50 cents.) They wait for hours . . . He sits in the middle Of hungry brush stroke Up river Down. Up river down Eyes straining— To find her.

John Banvard (November 15, 1815 – May 16, 1891) was a U.S. panorama and portrait painter known for his panoramic views of the Mississippi River Valley.

Comments

Christopher Leibow

Wed 17th Aug 2011 19:13

Thanks Ray. No haven;t done any for a long time, not since I graduated from graduate school. just been writing and reading mostly. I took a quick look at your poems and I like them. I need to spend more time with them. I think a great name for a prize would be the Glittery Unicorn Anemone Poetry Prize...what do you think?

Cheers from across the pond,
C.

Ray Miller

Tue 16th Aug 2011 22:11

Well done you for the Pushcart nomination. Strange names these competitions have. There's one over here called the Doorstep Challenge - or is it doorknob? Your name is a little familiar, actually. Do you use other poetry forums?
I've written poetry for about 5 years, some other stuff before that. Nice to read your work.

Christopher Leibow

Tue 16th Aug 2011 19:04

Hey Ray,

Nice to meet you. I appreciate the feedback. I am very satisfied with the poem as it is and the Pushcart Nomination that I received for it.

So how long have you been writing?

Ray Miller

Tue 16th Aug 2011 18:54

What a nice poem. The opening couplet is a lovely image. Speaking of which, I began to wonder why the poem wasn't arranged in couplet form. Less of a problem later.

How his deformity angers her.

I think "angers" disturbs the rhythm. riles, peeves, stings?
The part I liked less, though, was this

Huge bolts of love

The canvas sags from longing

Immense wood contraption

(Gears-pulleys crank machinery)

Three miles of canvas.

An uninterrupted portrait.

especially 3rd and 4th lines. I think 3 miles of sagging canvas would say enough.

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Banvard's Folly

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