During Global RAP, I created a poem that was inspired by the nature of water. The elements of the poem include: translations of a Toulouse-Lautrec painting and an original painting I made, a shape that reflects the shape of water, and consonant sounds. I attempted to incorporate an element of melody in the poem; however, the other elements took over during the creation of the poem. The way that the elements took over the creation reminded me of water — the way it overflows so that no one can control it. Considering where I come from, this aspect of water applies to how I feel with insecurities and how I get over them. The painting translations constitute for most of the elements I included. In the Toulouse-Lautrec painting, I saw that the objects reflect each other like mirrors — the beaten sails look like the admiral’s beaten face, the water copies the darkness of the sky, and all objects are vulnerable to the right-side movement. These images started off the poem, and then I thought about images that describe where I am from.
Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri
(1901), Admiral Viaud
EP
(2011), Goteo
This is the poem, titled Goteo:
Take me on
where the flowers stand in ice
and everlasting dew liesI am as light as the water
and sinking faster than the anchor
To the place that survives without the sun
The only place the world weeps
more than it sleeps
and can ever hope to carry
A single tear can say all there is
A single tear can ripple faster
than the beat of my heart
The droplets descend faster than
I could ever hope to climb up
To shower in a glint of light
When will I see it again?
The reflection says everything
but the truth; it’s about to rain
The breath the water took away
and the memories it gave
crystallize as they would in the clouds
Take me on
where the flowers stand in ice
and everlasting dew lies
where fallen leaves die forever
and a quiet family waits together
Take me up
Why do you look to me?
I am not really here
Where this is not my home