Poem Review: Art with a Heart
Visual and Verbal Art with a Golden Heart. That is how I remember Chloe. Chloe is a poet, songwriter, and visual artist based in Southern Scotland. She has been writing songs since she was 9, and it is about 50 years since then.
She has performed in bands and married a fellow composer. She is a published poet, trained dancer, songwriter, and musician. Her poems have been published in France.
That is not all. She has been a dental nurse in the past ( 1982–85 and 1993–97) and a professional gardener. She teaches music and singing at home.
Chloe’s artwork and poetry got my attention when I wrote a review of her poem ‘Song of the Autumn.’ She shared her painting ‘A View of Glasgow from the Park’ to accompany the poem.
She surprised me with a new year’s gift, a hand-painted greeting card.
Her work reflects her personality. She is an artist with a golden heart. She loves nature and humanity. Her poems explore the little things of life and nature with zeal.
Let us celebrate Chloe Douglas, our first tribute of Ponder 2023.
Poem: The Wonder of it!
Yes I am in wonder
It stops me for a while
I begin to ponder
It makes me smileI wish I understood
The beauty is real
All that is good
Is what it makes me feelThe sight is insight
Nature a gift
The detail in the light
This moment is swift.Written as I post my oriental poppy opening©️Chloe Douglas, 01–06–23.
Commentary:
This is a new poem written by Chloe. This is a typical example of her artistic persona. She celebrates a simple event — the opening of oriental poppy in such glowing terms.
Yes I am in wonder
It stops me for a while
I begin to ponder
It makes me smile
There is something wonderful about the oriental poppy blooming. The poet starts with an affirmative acknowledgment of the awe she is in. She begins to wonder.
“A flower must bloom inside first before revealing its beauty to the world.”
― Matshona Dhliwayo
The inner awe that the poet feels as she ponders deeply about the meaning of the blossom, lights her face with a smile. If we smile within, we smile without.
I wish I understood
The beauty is real
All that is good
Is what it makes me feel
The blossoming event takes in a fleeting moment. It is hard for the poet to believe that this is for real — the beauty of the closed petals opening to let the sunshine into its heart. But the poet feels certain ‘good’ even if the beauty is unbelievable.
“A flower blossoms for its own joy.”
― Oscar Wilde
The inner beauty of a flower unravels in its bloom. The beauty transmits good vibes, that reach the heart of the poet. Happiness begets happiness.
The sight is insight
Nature a gift
The detail in the light
This moment is swift.
A swift moment of profundity throws insight into the fact that happiness radiates from the inside. Nature does not speak, it just shows.
Two things about this poem: First it is how the poet sees a simple event, pauses, and savors its beauty, and second, how even such simple events can offer insights apart from beauty.
This poem is an excellent specimen of Chloe’s artistic persona.
Let us explore more — a combination of artwork and poetry from Chloe.
Poem: Rain
As more and more rain
Adds to my page
Moistening my thoughts
Slowing me
In its trance
Like gentleness
I wonder
At our fortune
In one phone call
In one nod of the head
In one agreed choice of words
There is hope
Where there was the slimmest chance
And the raindrops
Are now many
But there is no sadness
For we two mere mortals
Only apprehension
Or a need to be
Thorough and not wild
Like the weather is becoming.
~Poem, 13–11–2002 ©️ Chloe Douglas
Commentary:
There is something in the painting that made me relook at it. I read the poem again and looked at the painting. It struck me then. The raindrops on the lily. This is layered profundity. I will explain this, rather let the poem explain this as we go along.
As more and more rain
Adds to my page
Moistening my thoughts
Slowing me
In its trance
Like gentleness
It is raining heavily. The poet is writing something, and the raindrops splash on her page. The wetness in the air moistens her thoughts, creating a broody atmosphere.
She lifts her gaze from the paper she is writing and looks at the rain. Her thought streams are broken.
“Look at the rain long enough, with no thoughts in your head, and you gradually feel your body falling loose, shaking free of the world of reality. Rain has the power to hypnotize.”
― Haruki Murakami, South of the Border, West of the Sun
The rain slows down her thoughts and the rhythming sound creates a white noise — a steady stream of sight and sound that brings her into a gentle trance. It is a unique space in our mind — just like the verandah or porch which is soaked in rain with a vestige of dryness — the dryness of reality disappearing in the moisture of gentle trance.
I wonder
At our fortune
In one phone call
In one nod of the head
In one agreed choice of words
The poet’s thoughts go back to a specific situation between a close associate, which I am privy to.
The beauty of collaboration on the topic of rain between Chloe and fellow poet Priya Patel brings out an intimate collection, out of which I had peeled this poem away. The flow of words for words, verses for verses had brought them close enough to collaborate.
This could also be interpreted as a mature agreement with a couple who are fortunate to agree on matters that could potentially cause discord. Such a relationship is like how the leaves of the lily flower do not get wet while holding the raindrops on their surface.
There is hope
Where there was the slimmest chance
And the raindrops
Are now many
But there is no sadness
The moist trance now extends its reign through many raindrops resulting in a world of hope. The collaboration is an introspective one, but there is no space for sorrow — a sort of detached poignancy prevails.
For we two mere mortals
Only apprehension
Or a need to be
Thorough and not wild
Like the weather is becoming.
The weather is becoming wild. The rains intensify into stormy weather. But, the calm trance that had enveloped the two poetic minds focused on creating a thorough outcome through collaboration.
In other words, the mature couple who had a quiet agreement to work things together take a cautious and thorough approach.
The painting illuminates the falling raindrops — a potentially chaotic situation — and how the lily leaf lets the raindrop roll away nicely, keeping its calm and poise.
Art with a Heart
Chloe’s artwork and poetry are two sides of the same coin. They represent her heart which is filled with love for Nature and humanity. Her celebration of Nature brings hope and joy to the reader.
“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”
― Leonardo da Vinci
With poetry and painting together, we feel and see, or let us say savor her artwork. If we could listen to her music and read her songs, it is another dimension for us to celebrate Chloe Douglas.
PS — here profile is https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-douglas-15232387/
~Ashok Subramanian
