Deep into Art

Angelina Jolie as seen by Leonardo Da Vinci. Da Vinci's Leda

Begin with a wash of black
for all is dark
when not exposed to light.

Deceive the stupid multitudes
like Pharisees and friars
who make employment
of delusions
and false miracles;

who suffer from their own opinions:
the greatest of all deceptions.

Confusion
round and about
the universe:

Mist mingles with Air.
Water flows turbid,
mixes with Soil and Dust.
Though each with each,
Fire remains on its own.

East rushes Westward.
South to the North.

With great noise,
trembling with fury
the artist must express until
painting becomes poetry
that is seen; never heard.

And poetry heard; not seen
is written from painting.

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This was written and posted for:

 dversepoets Meeting the Bar: Critique and Craft –

Prose to Poetry by Claudia where we were supposed to select a piece of poetic prose, reformat it to look like a poem, rework it to meet your standards for poetry.

Instead of choosing one text, I found some quotes by Leonard da Vinci and melded them into a poem:

• Painting is poetry which is seen and not heard, and poetry is a painting which is heard but not seen.
• The East will be seen to rush to the West and the South to the North in confusion round and about the universe, with great noise and trembling or fury.
• Of Water, which flows turbid and mixed with Soil and Dust; and of Mist, which is mixed with the Air; and of Fire which is mixed with its own, and each with each.”
• Many have made a trade of delusions and false miracles, deceiving the stupid multitude. Pharisees— that is to say, friars.
• The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.
• A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light.
• The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands.

Photo credit: Freaking News  Photoshop contest – Leonardo da Vinci pictures,  directions to artists were:

In this contest you are asked to show how paintings and inventions by Leonardo Da Vinci would look if he created them these days. Show his modernized work created simply for art, or for commercial purposes (advertising, political campaigns, etc.)