Exquisite Corps Poems
written in the Dress Matters gallery
at Tucson Museum of Art, 11/12/17
by a Pima County Public Library writing workshop
First lines from an Owl & Panther poem inspired by the same art
After Nick Cave’s Soundsuit, 2006
Year flashes in lightening and sparkle dark flowers
Flowers galore, sparkly, beaded, all exquisite
Exquisite fits
Fits of euphoria, drama, sparkle surrounds the unseen figure,
figure walking on feet guided by swirling stars
Stars dazzle with their absurd excess
Excess is sensuous bright colors, delightful
Delightful in color but not in shape, oh well, what is?
Is…
After Angela Ellsworth’s Seer Bonnet XIX (Flora Ann), 2011
Pretty, spiky, dangerous, scary – makes me want to Touch.
Touch, don’t touch, touch, don’t touch – beauty is on the fingers of the beholder
Beholder of millions of shiny beads and pins
Pins, 24,182 pearl corsage pins fill a shoe box
Box upon box of carefully pinned pearls;
Pearls of beauty, pearls of wisdom
Wisdom pinned sharp as steel
Steel strength flows in ribbons
Ribbons and pins, dangerous daggers
Daggers