Georgia O’Keeffe’s “The Old Maple, Lake George,” 1926
Wide shoulders reach—
massive branches
lopped off by the frame
Jarringly close, the maple
gobbles the canvas, cropped
so only the thick middle visible
Gray bark deeply rutted
knotted, rotted hollow
Like exposed organs
large burls scar the trunk
One lean branch twists
into a forked hook, a “Y” formed
Another, a crooked elbow
a “V” balanced on top
Two cavities, gaping mouths—
portals to inner darkness
How many rested, nested here
how many still burrow in its furrows?
Link to the painting: https://www.soho-art.com/oil-painting/1255403091/Georgia-O-Keeffe/The-Old-Maple-Lake-George-1926.html
3 thoughts on "Georgia O’Keeffe’s “The Old Maple, Lake George,” 1926"
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Your words make the photo visual. Don’t have to look at the painting.
This poem is so very rich in evocative language. Thanks!
How many rested, nested here
how many still burrow in its furrows?
See you before too long!