Tuesday, August 9, 2011

SUMMER EVENING

This scene reminds me more of summer evenings in South Georgia, where I grew up, but here in the mountains we linger on our porches as long as we can, the dark surrounding us, kept at bay by our stories and music.  Our memories.

MAGPIE TALES , Edward Hopper, 1947


Three years after I was born
this couple leans against the porch railing,
brought to life by the artist
who must have known how the air settled
around them and stirred again,
how behind the door,  the canvas,
the paint, and the vision,
a window fan sings like the universe 
stitching together its matter and anti-matter,
man and woman,
day and night,
a summer evening in which the 
moment stands hushed,
like the woman to whom the man's face
turns, as if he is almost
about to speak. Silence hangs
heavy as heat almost about
to break.

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17 comments:

  1. Everyday GoddessAugust 9, 2011 at 3:50 PM

    Silence is so interesting, sometimes safe, sometimes alarming.

    Reminds me of South GA too. Irwin County to be exact.

    Nice magpie.

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  2. LynAugust 9, 2011 at 4:55 PM

    "Like the universe stitching its matter and anti-matter"..quite an amazing vision.

    Hopper was so good at his stitching..no one could freeze a moment like he. You're a good stitcher too!!

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  3. Kathryn Stripling ByerAugust 9, 2011 at 5:41 PM

    Hello Lyn and Goddess, thanks for stopping by.

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  4. Vicki LaneAugust 9, 2011 at 6:04 PM

    Oh, boy. Kay -- you nailed that hot summer evening!

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  5. Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis HallAugust 9, 2011 at 8:28 PM

    . Silence hangs
    heavy as heat almost about
    to break....


    profound.
    well done.

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  6. Erratic ThoughtsAugust 9, 2011 at 9:15 PM

    You made silence so interesting and very appealing...
    Lovely Magpie...

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  7. Kathryn Stripling ByerAugust 10, 2011 at 4:49 AM

    Thank you all. I'm always amazed by how certain paintings bring the imagination back from lethargy (in my case hot weather lethargy).

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  8. Tess KincaidAugust 10, 2011 at 10:48 AM

    Beautiful, evocative write, Kay. You wrapped this hushed summer night into a lovely package. Nice to see you at Magpie, dear friend.

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  9. Kathryn Stripling ByerAugust 10, 2011 at 11:37 AM

    Thank you, Tess. Magpie always gives me a lift!

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  10. Maude LynnAugust 10, 2011 at 7:16 PM

    Oh, that closing line is lovely!

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  11. Steve IsaakAugust 12, 2011 at 12:47 AM

    Solid scene-setting, great finish.

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  12. J Cosmo NewberyAugust 13, 2011 at 12:37 AM

    Silence hang heavy. Sums it all up beautifully.

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  13. dsAugust 13, 2011 at 10:58 AM

    Yes, the silence wins it. Lovely. Thank you.

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  14. HelenAugust 13, 2011 at 2:35 PM

    I grew up in the hot and humid summer nights of St. Louis ... you describe how they feel perfectly.

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  15. Donna B.August 14, 2011 at 9:49 AM

    Such a beautiful tapestry of words!

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  16. JLCAugust 17, 2011 at 1:30 PM

    I, to, love the last phrase with heavy silence--so many possible meanings offered.

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  17. JLCAugust 17, 2011 at 1:31 PM

    I did mean "too!"

    ReplyDelete

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