on seeing Franz Marc’s Red Horses for the first time
Three red horses
dance hugely
on their own wall.
Their coats quiver.
One looks up from the cobalt stream
as if startled by an indifferent visitor drifting by,
but I am in front of them,
frozen,
staring through ripples of red energy
emanating from them
with a force that quakes my thighs.
My feet have become blocks,
my arms stiffened at my sides so
my fingers can’t wipe my eyes.
At 18, I am innocent against such power.
8 thoughts on "on seeing Franz Marc’s Red Horses for the first time"
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I love the contrast of movement and stillness in your poem – just like the painting shows movement, but is still. Have you ever seen Marc’s blue horses?
Not in person!
They are most amazing – and life sized!
Super festive and personal ekphrasis–I found this poem really engaging and vivid.
Festive is an autocorrect error for effective somehow, sorry. I really enjoyed this!
Thank you!
You’ve described how they affected you so effectively. Love how the horses quivering coats echoed the viewer’s quaking thighs.
And have you seen his “Large Blue Horses”?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Horses#/media/File:Large_Blue_Horses.jpg
Not in person!