Contributor Series 11: On Birthdays
The Artist
By Sandra Forte-Nickenig
When I knew everything
and lived in New York City
near Central Park on a
cobblestone street in a
terra cotta brownstone
with cushions on the floor
and bells behind the door
Picasso’s Old Man with a Guitar
hung with push pins on a straw mat
I saw a starving artist who
was not so bleak and blue then
when you’re going to be an actress
and it’s your nineteen birthday
blue can be the color of promise.
Sandra Forte-Nickenig’s most recent poem to appear here was Joined (May 2012).
Sandra, your poem is lyric and, perhaps, yearning for an intense, exciting time. Love these lines:
“Picasso’s Old Man with a Guitar
hung with push pins on a straw mat”
Thank you for sharing this evocative poem
Wonderful poem, Sandy. Poignant and typical of the age you were – Beautiful!
Your poem sets a great visual mood, Nice work, Sandra.
Love it, Sandra. One of my favorite poems when i was in college was The Man With the Blue Guitar by Wallace Stevens.
I thought the same, and I can see this portrait amongst the beauty of your words.