Amsterdam, Amsterdam
a rhyme in itself

the land assumes the flatness of the sea

down by the canal
bikes in a row
on seedy side streets
sex shops and sex shows
stags and stagettes
dildos in windows

but thank you for Heineken
Rembrandt, Dennis Bergkamp
Johann Cryuff
Vincent Van Gogh

does art need anguish
or does anguish need art

who knows, who knows?
.

---

back in Vancouver
an exhibition…

They’re taking photographs down by the water
in front of the cubist whale
float planes take off from the harbor
the mountains slumber in the morning haze.

Inside the convention center
paragraphs of opaque prose
attempt to describe the genius
of Vincent, Vincent van Gogh.

But if painting is the medium
there is no need for go-betweens
it’s all there on the canvas
the painting is what the painting seems.

*

but now it’s Autumn

the leaves on the trees
bordering the soccer field
are leaking yellows and reds
like a paint store catalogue

a scene to impress an impressionist

Where’s Vincent when we need him?
Where’s Vincent when we need him?

This is a mash up of old poems and new in response to Brendan’s prompt on the subject of desperate beauty over at Desperate Poets.