Van Gogh’s De Straat, by Ilona Martonfi

The Yellow House (The Street), by Vincent Van Gogh (Netherlands) 1888.

Van Gogh’s De Straat
 
Caricatured, coarse
full-bleed watercolour
olive trees and cypresses, azure sky
2, Place Lamartine in Arles
on the right bank of river Rhône
 
there is no longer a lie in the way
to recreate deformities.
The street scene excavated
using cut-up, erasure,
put on public display
madness and grammar of space
red clay roof tiles, green shutters,
these houses in the Midi sun
and all the nobody people,
they knew who I was painting for
the blue and lilac. The yellow earth
remain fixed upon canvas
the mistral scouring Provence
umber full moon
river sedge, watercress
lavender fields
 
look for omens, prophecies
bird’s claws and skulls.

Ilona Martonfi

This poem has previously appeared in Mud, poetry chapbook, (dancing girl press, 2018), and in the
Soliloquis Anthology (2016).

Ilona Martonfi is the author of three poetry books, Blue Poppy (2009), Black Grass (2012), The Snow Kimono (Inanna Publications, 2015). Forthcoming, Salt Bride (Inanna, 2019). The Tempest (Inanna, 2020). Publishes in five chapbooks, journals across North America and abroad. Her poem “Dachau on a Rainy Day” was nominated for the 2018 Pushcart Prize. Artistic Director of The Yellow Door and Visual Arts Centre Reading Series. Argo Bookshop Readings. Recipient of the QWF 2010 Community Award.