Brenda Smith at the reading on March 28, 2015 at Hickory Museum of Art. The painting is “Club Scene” by William Blackburn.

Brenda Smith
Club Scene
after “Club Scene” by William Blackburn

It is 1940, the war is begun,
the French sailors,
and soldiers of the Republique,
Sense the oppression.
Nazis at their doorstep.
They press into the cabaret,
all drinking, most smoking,
joined together as if
to drive out the thought
of Germans at the door.
Even this moment under the arches,
foreign faces stare into the crowd,
ignore the singer
watch the patrons.
Crushed together
like so many tiny fish
bound for the packing tin,
stare mesmerized at the singer,
a diminutive blonde.

Danielle Darrieux, perhaps,
Singing of Mr. Time
On a beautiful spring day
A girl, almost a woman
Dreaming a blue dream
Of a crazy unknown happy future
It should be soft, she sings,
And disturbing, this first rendezvous.

They know, all of them
that their future is uncertain.
not happy at all
not soft at all
but yes, disturbing.
So they attend her raptly,
this small blonde woman,
who sings of blue dreams.

Announcing details about the next Art of Poetry at the Hickory Museum of Art reading.

The submission deadline is June 6 and the reading will be June 20 at 2:00 pm.

To submit, simply go to the museum and write poems about the works on exhibit. Please note the dates of eligible exhibits below. Submissions should:
-include name of the artist and the title of the inspiring work
-be typed in the body of an email (do not send attachments)
-be typed using 12-point Arial font, single spaced
-be sent to Kelly DeMaegd at geneandkelly@charter.net
-Art of Poetry reserves the right to decline work that may not be appropriate in content, or of literary quality as determined by its panel of judges.

Approximately 20 poems will be selected to be displayed at the museum and to be read by the author (or selected substitute reader) at the reading. The reading is free and open to the public. Audiences have ranged from 15 to 45 people. After the reading, with permission of the poet and artist, poems will be posted on the Art of Poetry website at http://www.artofpoetry.net

Eligible exhibits are as follows:
-Catawba Valley Camera Club Photographs, First Floor Entrance Gallery, through July 12, 2015
-Thoughts Left Visible: Paul Whitener’s Process, First Floor Whitener Gallery, through October 25, 2015
-Woven Together, First Floor Shuford Gallery, May 29 through September 6, 2015
-From the Master’s Hands: Eddie Hamrick, Woodwright, Second Floor Coe and Objects Gallery, through September 6, 2015
-Folk Art from the Permanent Collection, Second Floor Windows Gallery, through September 6, 2015
-Discover Folk Art, Third Floor Gallery, Ongoing
-American Art Pottery and Born of Fire, Second Floor Objects Gallery, Ongoing

If you have any questions, please email Kelly DeMaegd at geneandkelly@charter.net

Thank you and hope to see you June 20!