Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Dickens Himself Would Be Cold Here (Poem)


Plaster on Steel Frame
105-7/8" by 139-15/16" x 125"
Gift of The Glenstone Foundation
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.


Dickens Himself Would Be Cold Here

     after Rachel Whiteread's Ghost

Nothing breaks
out.

Gridded tiles
of ice

stacked
and mortised

shut in
a room stripped

to contain its air-
locked self.

Nothing leaves
the walled void,

not by a black hole
in the door's

handle. A switch
reverse-depressed

freezes what light
calls you to,

the negative
surfacing white.

Dickens himself would
be cold here.

© 2013 Maureen E. Doallas
at

10 comments:

  1. GlynnFebruary 12, 2013 at 6:34 AM

    Fine poem, Maurren. I feel cold just reading it (and I'm not Dickens).

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  2. UnknownFebruary 12, 2013 at 4:28 PM

    A great attitude, and a great travel to read this poem. Thanks.

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  3. blackwildflowersFebruary 12, 2013 at 4:36 PM

    Cold and clarifying. An eloquent ekphrasis.

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  4. blackwildflowersFebruary 12, 2013 at 4:38 PM

    Clean and clarifying. An eloquent ekphrasis.

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  5. scotthastiepoetFebruary 12, 2013 at 7:57 PM

    I've seen this piece by RW myself and found your poem to be a skilful rendition and response to the work. Enjoyed a lot - along with the measured confidence in your verse.

    Regards

    Scott www.scotthastie.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Brian MillerFebruary 12, 2013 at 10:37 PM

    a little cold and maybe snowed in there eh? lucky i am sitting next to a heat vent right now...smiles

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  7. S. EtoleFebruary 13, 2013 at 12:13 AM

    Shivering ...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ann LeFloreFebruary 13, 2013 at 2:33 AM

    A very nice pome and a well travels one too. Truely enjoyed this

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  9. Stan SkiFebruary 13, 2013 at 7:58 AM

    Felt chilly to me too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. lucychiliFebruary 13, 2013 at 9:18 AM

    ooh yes i feel like this in a lot of stark architecture. well described.

    ReplyDelete