Van Gogh's Starry Night Poem by David Wood

Who can ever doubt that Vincent van Gogh
Was a famous artist, but according to legend
He sold only a few paintings in his lifetime,
Many were given for food to keep him alive.
He also lived and died in poverty.

Van Gogh was incarcerated in the asylum
Saint Paul de Mausole after cutting off his
Ear as a result of his hallucinations and his
Painting Starry Night was a view from his room
And is tied inextricably to his mental illness.

Who can doubt that Starry Night is one
Of his most recognised paintings. The brush
Strokes are unique. Blue dominates blending
In with the hills, and a village invented for the
Painting with each building outlined in black.

The yellow and white of the moon and stars
Draw you in, as does the swirls, drawing you
Towards the sky. The brush strokes blend in
With the cypress tree as it too bends and curves.
You are drawn to the hills rolling down to the village.

The only straight lines are from the village. You have
To remember there were no electric street lights, or
Electricity to light homes, so his Starry night was
Unique. This painting resonates with so many people
And is a testament of its timeless beauty.

If van Gogh was a poet, what poems would he write?
What brush strokes would he use to paint a poem,
Sonnet or verse? Like a painting every poem has
Colour, depth and field. We write our poems in the
Same way an artist paints a picture.