Vermeer's dedication to the beauty of the everyday tasks is in the same spirit as "Ode to an Artisan"
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"Ode to an Artisan"
"Ode to an Artisan"
A Humanist Ode
A Humanist Ode
Notice light. Notice in eyes engagéd upon work in the lap --
Notice light. Notice in eyes engagéd upon work in the lap --
‘Tis no blind brightness. Instead, it places a warm hand on the shoulder:
‘Tis no blind brightness. Instead, it places a warm hand on the shoulder:
Such a gaze! Focus the rising sun’s glory-bent flame cannot e’er match;
Such a gaze! Focus the rising sun’s glory-bent flame cannot e’er match;
Thus my soul, burnished by thy dear work to a fine mirror of gold,
Thus my soul, burnished by thy dear work to a fine mirror of gold,
Must reflect back to thee, artisan, what thou shinest on thy task.
Must reflect back to thee, artisan, what thou shinest on thy task.
In the glow, a radiant world all thyself, is thy whole countenance drawn:
In the glow, a radiant world all thyself, is thy whole countenance drawn:
An intent pasture of hills, thy brow doth paint broad, flashing the skill
An intent pasture of hills, thy brow doth paint broad, flashing the skill
No mere framed, pre-postured portrait, captured without life, could contain.
No mere framed, pre-postured portrait, captured without life, could contain.
O how ebb, flow of well-practiced muscle become waves of such grace!
O how ebb, flow of well-practiced muscle become waves of such grace!
Ne’er is praise noticed, nor sought, jaw set firm, in its way taming the Earth,
Ne’er is praise noticed, nor sought, jaw set firm, in its way taming the Earth,
One complete garment, or purse, or handful of fine lace at a time.
One complete garment, or purse, or handful of fine lace at a time.
Description
Description
This was a difficult poem to write. At Kingdom Arts and Sciences Festival 2020, I was asked to run the Duke Gyrth Oldcastle Memorial Poetic Smackdown, which normally has one required "entry ticket" poem, and then the titular smackdown of another poet in verse. I chose to play on the name of Duke Gyrth's wife, Melisande Belvoir, and so asked each poet (myself included) to write one poem about a "belle voir" (beautiful view) as their entry poem.
This was a difficult poem to write. At Kingdom Arts and Sciences Festival 2020, I was asked to run the Duke Gyrth Oldcastle Memorial Poetic Smackdown, which normally has one required "entry ticket" poem, and then the titular smackdown of another poet in verse. I chose to play on the name of Duke Gyrth's wife, Melisande Belvoir, and so asked each poet (myself included) to write one poem about a "belle voir" (beautiful view) as their entry poem.
I chose to revisit the Latin ode forms I had used in "Ode to Their Highnesses Atlantia", but use it to elevate the belle voir of an artisan hard at work, rather than the usual epic subjects of the form. I have always been touched by the intimate focus of humanist artists, and wanted to try my hand at that feel. However, it also meant letting go of my normal insistence of almost robotic density of device and technical detail. So, for this one, I tried to let that go, and instead thought about my wife, Adelaide Half-Pint, as I pictured her working on hand-sewing projects.
I chose to revisit the Latin ode forms I had used in "Ode to Their Highnesses Atlantia", but use it to elevate the belle voir of an artisan hard at work, rather than the usual epic subjects of the form. I have always been touched by the intimate focus of humanist artists, and wanted to try my hand at that feel. However, it also meant letting go of my normal insistence of almost robotic density of device and technical detail. So, for this one, I tried to let that go, and instead thought about my wife, Adelaide Half-Pint, as I pictured her working on hand-sewing projects.
Below, I'm going to include a few drafts and intermediate documents I used to craft this piece, to hopefully shed some light on the writing process:
Below, I'm going to include a few drafts and intermediate documents I used to craft this piece, to hopefully shed some light on the writing process:
Initial Brainstorming
Initial Brainstorming
ENTRY POEM: The “Belvoir”
Trying to capture the look on someone’s face when you watch them completely focused and in “the flow” state with a task. Particularly a friend. Watching them transform into a higher being of engagement. Putting the “art” in “artisan”.
Art -- the uncapturable focus of the eye, the way not even light upon the iris would dare disturb the focus
Walt Whitman. Long lines, anapest alternating with dactyl
U u / / u X u u / / u u u u / /
As the light, flick’ring past eyes engagéd upon tasks in the hand
U u / / u u / u / u u / / u u /
U u / / u u / u / u u / / u u / u
Ne’er intrudes focus, so much as places a warm hand on the shoulder;
U u / / u u / u / u u / u u / u u /
Such a gaze! Focus the admirable rising rays bent flame cannot match,
/ u u / / u u / u / / u u / u /
So is my soul burnished by work of dear friends to a mirror of gold
Shining back upon the artisan such beams sent forth in their task
The pastoral, intense hills on the brow grandly paint of skill
No premeditated portrait could find in the studio
The increase, flow of the practiced muscles, push an efforted wave into an ocean of deep breaths
The soft tide carries my love neither asked for nor spurned by the set jaw firm in its small way taming the Earth,
One ringing horseshoe, sturdy verse, one playful dagger or well-wrought child at a time.
Draft 2
Draft 2
Here I tried to hammer out the ode rhythms, an odd thing to do in a language like English which doesn't count long or short syllables quite the same way, and alternates stresses in a way Latin doesn't. Also, I tried out too many different images. The last lines changed a **lot** between this draft and...
Here I tried to hammer out the ode rhythms, an odd thing to do in a language like English which doesn't count long or short syllables quite the same way, and alternates stresses in a way Latin doesn't. Also, I tried out too many different images. The last lines changed a **lot** between this draft and...
Draft 3
Draft 3
At this point, I had focused in those images of the earth and landscape to parts of the face of the artisan, and clarified the piece from being about all "Artisans" as a type, to just one artisan -- my wife. Many thanks to the most excellent Lady Iselda de Narbonne for the advice on this draft.
At this point, I had focused in those images of the earth and landscape to parts of the face of the artisan, and clarified the piece from being about all "Artisans" as a type, to just one artisan -- my wife. Many thanks to the most excellent Lady Iselda de Narbonne for the advice on this draft.
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