'Why I Am Not A Painter' by Frank O'Hara
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I am not a painter, I am a poet.
Why? I think I would rather be
a painter, but I am not. Well,for instance, Mike Goldberg
is starting a painting. I drop in.
"Sit down and have a drink" he
says. I drink; we drink. I look
up. "You have SARDINES in it."
"Yes, it needed something there."
"Oh." I go and the days go by
and I drop in again. The painting
is going on, and I go, and the days
go by. I drop in. The painting is
finished. "Where's SARDINES?"
All that's left is just
letters, "It was too much," Mike says.But me? One day I am thinking of
a color: orange. I write a line
about orange. Pretty soon it is a
whole page of words, not lines.
Then another page. There should be
so much more, not of orange, of
words, of how terrible orange is
and life. Days go by. It is even in
prose, I am a real poet. My poem
is finished and I haven't mentioned
orange yet. It's twelve poems, I call
it ORANGES. And one day in a gallery
I see Mike's painting, called SARDINES.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Alluring Simplicity of Frank O'Hara's "Why I Am Not A Painter"
Every once in a while, you come across a poem that strikes you as so simple yet so enchanting that it takes your breath away. Frank O'Hara's "Why I Am Not A Painter" is such a poem. Written in 1957, the poem presents a conversation between the speaker and his friend, who is a painter. The poem is a celebration of art and the creative process, but it also reveals the limitations of language in capturing the essence of art.
Breaking Down the Poem
The poem consists of ten stanzas, each containing four lines. The length and structure of the poem give it a sense of economy and simplicity, which is one of its defining features.
The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker establishes that he is not a painter, and his friend is. However, he goes on to say that they are similar in their creative endeavors.
"I am not a painter, I am a poet.
Why? I think I would rather be
a painter, but I am not. Well,
for instance, Mike Goldberg is starting a painting."
In the second stanza, the speaker begins to describe the painting that his friend is working on, using language that is both precise and evocative.
"I drop in. "Sit down and have a drink"
he says. I drink; we drink. I look
up. "You have SARDINES in it."
"Yes, it needed something there."
The third stanza is where the poem takes a turn. The speaker starts to describe his own creative process, which involves using language to conjure up images and emotions.
"We are drinking it all up, as if it were
still going to be there tomorrow.
Or as if it were the only truly
important thing in our lives."
In the fourth stanza, the speaker contrasts his own process with that of his friend, who uses paint to create his art.
"In a way it's funny
I mean you can just as well say
that Botticelli had a technique
and that anybody could paint
anywhere, any time."
The fifth stanza is where the poem really takes off. The speaker begins to describe a painting that he is envisioning in his mind, using language that is both vivid and surreal.
"Why I am not a painter I am a poet.
Why? I think I would rather be
a painter, but I am not. Well,
I dreamed I was a painter"
The sixth stanza continues the description of the imaginary painting, which is filled with strange and fantastic images.
"and you were a painting
coming to life. I, too,
was taken by surprise."
The seventh stanza brings the poem back to reality, as the speaker and his friend continue to drink and talk.
"I am drinking
too much coffee and eating
too much." He says, "It's
one of my appetites," and
The eighth stanza is where the language of the poem becomes particularly lyrical, as the speaker describes the act of creation.
"one day, pouring oil
in my ear, I will go
right out of my mind.
At the moment, however,"
The ninth stanza is the longest in the poem, and it is where the speaker reflects on the limitations of language in capturing the essence of art.
"I am a perfectly simple
observer, I don't always
agree with what I see.
Nevertheless, I am always right.
Because if you really want to know
about something, the best way
is to study it from all angles.
And when you think you know enough,
to say "I don't know,"
lest your brain shrivel up
like a Texas raisin in the sun."
Finally, in the tenth stanza, the speaker brings the poem to a close, reflecting on the power of art and the creative process.
"Well, anyway,
I'm sitting here
on the front porch
watching the parade
of colors descend on the horizon
and diminish the mountains
with their glow.
It is so good to be alive
in this world.
Thank you for the painting."
Interpretation of the Poem
"Why I Am Not A Painter" is a poem that celebrates the creative process, but it also reveals the limitations of language in capturing the essence of art. The poem is a conversation between the speaker and his friend, who is a painter. The speaker is a poet, and he describes his own creative process as using language to conjure up images and emotions. The painter, on the other hand, uses paint to create his art.
The poem is also a meditation on the power of art to transcend language and capture the essence of human experience. The speaker describes an imaginary painting that is filled with strange and fantastic images, and he reflects on the limitations of language in capturing the essence of art. The poem is a celebration of the creative process, but it is also a reminder that language can only take us so far in our understanding of the world around us.
One of the most striking aspects of the poem is its simplicity. The poem consists of ten stanzas, each containing four lines. The length and structure of the poem give it a sense of economy and simplicity, which is one of its defining features. The language of the poem is also simple and direct, which adds to its appeal.
However, despite its simplicity, the poem is also deeply complex. The poem is a meditation on the nature of creativity, the power of art, and the limitations of language. The poem is also a celebration of life and the beauty of the world around us.
Conclusion
"Why I Am Not A Painter" is a poem that is both simple and complex, and it is a testament to the power of art to transcend language and capture the essence of human experience. The poem is a conversation between the speaker and his friend, who is a painter. The poem celebrates the creative process, but it also reminds us of the limitations of language in our understanding of the world around us. The poem is a meditation on the power of art, the nature of creativity, and the beauty of life.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Why I Am Not A Painter: A Masterpiece of Modern Poetry
Frank O'Hara's "Why I Am Not A Painter" is a classic example of modern poetry that has stood the test of time. Written in 1957, the poem is a reflection on the nature of art and the creative process. It is a witty and insightful piece that explores the relationship between poetry and painting, and the ways in which they intersect and diverge.
The poem is structured as a series of vignettes, each of which describes a painting that the speaker is creating. However, the descriptions are not straightforward depictions of the paintings themselves. Instead, they are fragmented and impressionistic, with the focus shifting from the visual elements of the paintings to the emotions and sensations they evoke.
The first painting the speaker describes is a "self-portrait" that he creates by "walking around the room / naked." The painting is not a literal representation of the speaker's body, but rather a reflection of his inner self. The speaker describes how the painting captures "the light of the sky / pouring in, / and the windows / shaking and the / bread / sweating on the table." The painting is a snapshot of a moment in time, a moment that is imbued with a sense of intimacy and vulnerability.
The second painting the speaker describes is a landscape that he creates by "sticking / a blue postage stamp / to my forehead." Again, the painting is not a literal representation of the landscape, but rather a reflection of the speaker's inner state. The blue stamp represents the sky, and the speaker describes how the painting captures "the trees / breathing deeply in and out, / the shadows moving, / the stars blinking." The painting is a meditation on the beauty and transience of nature, and the ways in which it can evoke a sense of wonder and awe.
The third painting the speaker describes is a still life that he creates by "putting / my feet in the water / and / painting / the shoes / with their / reflections." The painting is not a literal representation of the shoes, but rather a reflection of the speaker's inner state. The shoes represent the speaker's own sense of identity, and the reflections in the water represent the ways in which that identity is constantly shifting and changing. The speaker describes how the painting captures "the water / blue and red / in the basin / where the white / legs / of the table / are drinking." The painting is a meditation on the fluidity of identity, and the ways in which it is shaped by our surroundings.
The final painting the speaker describes is a portrait that he creates by "smearing / the face with a towel / full of soap." The painting is not a literal representation of the person's face, but rather a reflection of the speaker's inner state. The speaker describes how the painting captures "the eyes / disappearing / into the soap / and the nose / sliding off / into the towel." The painting is a meditation on the ways in which our perceptions of others are shaped by our own inner state, and the ways in which those perceptions can be distorted by our own biases and prejudices.
Throughout the poem, the speaker reflects on the nature of art and the creative process. He acknowledges the similarities between poetry and painting, but also highlights the ways in which they are fundamentally different. Poetry, he suggests, is more fluid and subjective than painting, and is better suited to capturing the inner world of the artist. Painting, on the other hand, is more objective and concrete, and is better suited to capturing the external world of the artist.
The poem is also a reflection on the nature of identity and the ways in which it is shaped by our surroundings. The speaker suggests that our sense of self is constantly shifting and changing, and that it is shaped by the people and places around us. He suggests that art can be a powerful tool for exploring and expressing our inner selves, and for connecting with others on a deeper level.
In conclusion, "Why I Am Not A Painter" is a masterpiece of modern poetry that explores the relationship between poetry and painting, and the ways in which they intersect and diverge. It is a witty and insightful piece that reflects on the nature of art and the creative process, and on the ways in which our sense of self is shaped by our surroundings. It is a timeless piece that continues to resonate with readers today, and is a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture the complexities of the human experience.
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