Sunday, September 30, 2012

Hope is a thing with feathers

16x20 oils paint on canvas

detail.

There is something about autumn that makes me really crave poetry so I thought I would share this poem by Emily Dickson along with my latest painting. The painting was inspired by the lovely flickers in our back yard, one of which met an untimely demise by crashing into a window a few weeks ago.
The birds I paint are not painted scientifically in regards to colors or markings but rather as how I see them.

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,
And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.
I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.
--Emily Dickinson

7 comments:

holly aka golly said...

vivienne: What a gorgeous painting and one of my favorite poets and poems. There is something about her words that bring the natural world and the spiritual world together in such a beautiful way.

annamaria potamiti said...

Love both Vivienne-xx

vivienne strauss said...

Thank you, Holly and Anna Maria!

Lisa Graham said...

Vivienne, I love your work and the way you painted the bird is excellent...especially its chest. Wonderful poem and it's great that Fall ignites your love for poems. My sister who passed away almost 10 years ago loved poetry and used to write it all the time.

vivienne strauss said...

Thank you for the lovely comment, Lisa and I am so sorry about your sister!

Unknown said...

HI Vivienne, is this available to purchase?

vivienne strauss said...

the original sold some time ago, Barbara Thomas - if you'd like a print of it, feel free to email me directly at vivstrauss@gmail.com