Impressions of the Couple in American Gothic Rigid and righteous come to mind, a rectitude unbending. The children under their domain lived constant reprimanding. Insolence or levity was cause for nip-in-budding; obey, and eat the Lord's hard bread but seldom, pleasure's pudding. Did high lace collar, sober dress hide bosom-heave of passion, or did mere thought of hand-on-breast hold tincture of transgression? Feed the hogs and shuck the corn; at dusk and dawn, the milking. Hoe and bake and scour and weed. Relaxed was time for quilting. The Bible, Farmer's Almanac, his pipe, her constant mending forged taciturn companionship, their dusty decades binding. We parody such rectitude; perhaps we've grown too mellow, once moral terra firma changed to quiverance of jello. Lark Beltran Lark Beltran, originally from California, has lived in Lima, Peru for decades as an ESL teacher. Many of Lark's poems have appeared in online and offline journals.
1 Comment
Jeremiah Johnson
7/20/2022 09:56:24 am
Hi Lark, I just HAD to comment on the nature of this painting, which is supposedly the most ubiquitous piece of American art ever created - for one thing it's been parodied more than any other. The farmer, I believe, is a portrait of Woods' dentist, and the woman is actually his daughter (some may have figured that, but my students often guess her as his wife). I find it interesting that his arm is actually in front of her, like he's warding off a boyfriend or something. Anyways, your poem brought out the art nut in me!
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
The Ekphrastic Review
COOKIES/PRIVACY
This site uses cookies to deliver your best navigation experience this time and next. Continuing here means you consent to cookies. Thank you. Join us on Facebook:
November 2024
|