NARRATIVE POETRY- Grandma Doesn't Understand Picasso

Amy, a former student, inspired this poem. We sat next to each other on a bus when I accompanied a group of students on an excursion to a local art gallery. Her opening remarks became the title for this poem. Ideas emerge when we least expect. We must be ready to catch them.

GRANDMA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND PICASSO

I don’t think my Gran likes Picasso

His paintings leave her agog

She is puzzled by Pablo Picasso

- A dog should look like a dog !

Landscapes are more to her liking

And portraits of luminous folk

Or some beauty draped on a soft velvet couch

Wearing a long flowing cloak

Gran can’t approve of Picasso

His arrangement of line, form and size

She stares at his paintings and mumbles

Terrible ! triangular eyes?

Gran’s clearly not keen on Picasso

But she’s no weeping woman you see

For she takes me to all the galleries

And that’s made some impression on me

One day I may be a painter

And use an impressionist style

But for now I like looking at paintings

And I’ll stay with Picasso awhile

Alan j Wright

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