National Poetry Month, Poem #11

The Poppy of Georgia O'Keeffe
In the carmine extravagance
the skirts of a Spanish dancer swirl
flamenco rhythms, castanets
exuberant dancer
drumming her heels on a wooden floor
staccato barks, deep intricate guitars
the energy pulsing from the dark
surrounds and enters

The poppy is wide open
her petals curve
like the skirts of a mountain
filled with the morning sun
we climb
and reaching the pinnacle shout
like the flower in strict discipline,
in eloquent satori
in the wild grace of black and red.
by Janine Pommy Vega

This is an example of a poet responding to a painting. She is relating to the image in the painting as something else. I love the author's word choice in the first stanza.