Pollock's Last Snowflake?
The question posed a voluptuous riddle.
Were these frenzied silhouettes
pole-dancing in black and blue
drooling the white slip
the sinewy gestures of Jackson Pollock's dribble?
The answer was coveted in cracked glass
where crystalline veins erupt like snowflakes
fatally flirting with windowpanes.
The anonymous physicist found
relying on African fractals
and reflexive theories of self-similarity
(like the infinite peculiarity of the figure 8 )
that these calculated drips were indeed,
not authentic.
3/24/11
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Author's Note
Written after reading a New Yorker piece about the validity of a long lost Pollock piece and the science of fractal analysis that ultimately revealed the fraud.
Published in The Science Creative Quarterly.
Other stories by Yasmin Elaine Waring
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Marvelous. Reminds me of John Updike's poetry.
The stiff tone of the phrasing - as in the middle stanza:
"The answer was coveted in cracked glass
where crystalline veins erupt like snowflakes
fatally flirting with windowpanes." - fit the piece well. That works. Enjoyed the writing.
You always have encouraging words for me James. Thank you.
That's my favorite line of the piece Sam. Thanks for reading.
A finely written poem, and I'll admit, I'm a sucker for work that pulls in historical figures, especially Pollock. I'm a little obsessed with him. Also, I watched a documentary that may have been about this painting and maybe not. Either way, some lady found a painting at a thrift store and has spent a long time trying to get it authenticated. But back to your poem..."pole-dancing in black and blue" is one of the coolest ways I've seen of saying in words what a Pollock can say from the canvas.
Oh, and I really thought the title was a slam dunk. Now, go write more, please.
Thank you so much See ya for your thoughtful response.