18 Canoa, by Kitty Jospé

18 Canoa, by Lino Tagliapietra (USA) contemporary. Photo by Kitty Jospe.

18 Canoa
with grateful appreciation to Lino Tagliapietra*

I
Perhaps at first you do not see the shadows 
underneath the delicate glass fish suspended
out of water, 
                           tapered like a rainbowed flock 
of mythical birds--
                                       shadows whisper
back memories fashioned by alchemy 
of  blown glass

II
Endeavor** is a perfect verb for working with glass--
No one but the glassmaker understands the 
Delicate alchemy of heat, molten glass, the
Emotional nature of glass blowing— imagine
A slender strand  pulled into being, like a
Venetian gondola for the Festa della Sensa***
Opulent colours, diamond-cut into shape for a 
Ritual reminiscent of a water parade. 

Reflection is a perfect word for glass and memory.
Emotions rise looking at the suspended 
Flotilla— flying flock of birds, sweep of
Light shimmering like a school of fish—an
Expectation waiting to
Celebrate the beauty of a community.
Tapered ends stretch out like hands, suspended
In stillness, as our eyes explore— see 
Overhead, the connected fishing lines, bait of boats,
Notice their shadows cast in the imaginary waters below.

Kitty  Jospé
​
*There are 18 elongated boat forms (canoa) that are suspended in the air by steel cables.  Battuto cut, is made with a hard diamond edge. https://www.cmog.org/audio/tagliapietra-endeavor-513
** etymology: , middle English: the sense ‘exert oneself’  to do one’s utmost
*** Feast of the Ascension https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festa_della_Sensa
​
​MA French Literature, New York University; MFA Poetry, Pacific University, OR. Art Docent (Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY) since 1998. Since 2008, Kitty has been moderating weekly poetry appreciation sessions and occasional presentations on art and word.  (Since March 2020, these are conducted by zoom.)  Known for her contagious enthusiasm, she embraces the joy of working with language, art, and helping others to become good readers of poems, people and life. Her work is in 6 books, published since 2009 and in numerous journals and anthologies. Her latest book, Sum:1 is available from FootHills publishing: http://www.foothillspublishing.com/2021/jospe.html