breaking the tide line
seawater curls smooth lathery lips
over a jagged shelf, shingle and shells
tucked under the breach, it arrives
edges closer curious as a calf
trembling and torn between hoof
and scintillating scent of the salty hand
with nothing to taste but the wind
or at times a frothing bull, its rage
vengeful in cold blue-greens
only to perish pitifully on the sand
tossed by the last wave’s faena *
the great heaving mass gapes in places
where solids protest an imperceptible
slip-slide embrace, convolutions
dispossessing difficulties
outermost inwards, the artist pulls
all directions of paradox til a doppelgänger
sets solid, hot fluid, unshakable metal
breaking the mould of sea form
© Laura Granby 2015
* a series of final passes leading to the kill made by the matador
Links:
1. Culture & Anarchy: The Poetry of Form inspired by Barbara Hepworth
2. BFI video – poetic portrait of sculptor Barbara Hepworth : Figures in a Landscape
Celebrating Hepworth’s curvaceous patina sculpture and by coincidence something for the daily prompt: The Artist’s Eye
and joining the circle of Poets United for some final lines before the Christmas break
PoetryPix 
What a dance this is…a flow of image and thought that is so finely crafted…i like the feeling of several stories running together coherently ..life carries on..carries us along i suppose ..stunning poem very much complimenting the Barbara Hepworth sculpture
thank you Jae Rose – rather pleased that my words took you to places I had not imagined were there
Razor sharp images… I feel tossed by that raging wave…
love how your comment contrasts with the curves!
Beautifully haunting!!
❤
Really love how you’ve captivated the abstract in concrete words…the artwork and poem complement each other….
carving out the words for this marvellous work of art was not easy so appreciate your compliment Sumana
This the most visceral and colourful write of the night so far from me – loved it… Beautifully rendered… With Best Wishes Scott
visceral I appreciate the most because I struggle to not let intellect dominate – thank you for that Scott – made my day
Really love how your words brought the art work to life…feeling as I was being tossed and turned on the sea waves like a bull raging, and then at times just gently rocked back and forth…sublime as smooth metal!
re-assuring to know that Donna – Hepworth drew heavily on her local seascapes and so I tried to visualise how she might have turned that into her sculpture –
This is not just about the art for me, but going behind and seeing the art.. seeing the landscape and the waves… some very nice internal rhymes and alliterations that begs to be read aloud.
thank you Bjorn – I read aloud over and over until it sounds smooth enough for the ear even at the expense of deleting a favourite word or line
I especially like “with nothing to taste but the wind”. Your imagery is very powerful in this piece.
thank you Sherry – was inspired by recent viewing of Hepworth’s sculptures at Tate Britain
To me this seems to be an extended metaphor on the poetic craft itself. Like the final wave break gives birth somehow to the poem, washing up on shore.
love this interpretation – the muse puts us through the waters – stormy at times too
Geesh I’m on roll reading some great stuff tonight, This piece is well written (in my opinion) with a lot of thought and depth. Bravo!
know what you mean – following up at ‘Poets United’ is a delve into an anthology of diverse verses 😉
I can really feel this poem. The images are sharp, and the message clear! Enjoyed the way you wove the words.
hearing you loud and clearly Mary so many thanks 🙂
Great description that amplifies and crystallizes the imagination. What a beautiful sculpture, too.
your words ‘amplifies and crystallizes’ perfectly describes what sculpture does – thank you for that Beth
Ah, the lips of the sea, as a curious calf and a raging bull. Of course, I think of Proteus. That must be how he was born! Marvelous!
“. . . the artist pulls
all directions of paradox …”
Susan I had not made this connection at all so your insight adds a whole new dimension 🙂
Beautiful sculpture and you married it well with your words. The toss of the sea so well reflected in your imagery. Fine writing,
Elizabeth
thank you Elizabeth – I think the sculpture made me take a different look again at the sea
curious as a calf – what a great line
❤