Sunday, May 11, 2025

The Stafford Challenge, Days 105-115 — Shadormas


Here are eleven days' worth of poems in The Stafford Challenge. Each daily comment below was written on each given day. As the days developed, as you will see below, I began to write a series of shadormas on Andy Warhol. In fact, all the poems in this post are shadormas, a form I've grown to love writing. All of these are also ekphrastic . . . an occasion I've equally grown to love writing.


On Day 105, 1 May 2025, I'm at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, today and tomorrow. I thought I'd write another poem about the Ear of Corn water tower they have here. This is a shadorma — a Spanish form with syllabics 3/5/3/3/7/5.

Bad Stand-Up: I’m Here Till Friday
—a shadorma
I once knew
an old guy named Dick
Rochester.
This water
tower is Rochester Dick,
shucked corn standing tall.

—Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]

My photo of the Ear of Corn
water tower in Rochester, MN.




On Day 106, 2 May 2025, I'm still at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where they have wonderful art on the walls. I saw an incredible print by Andy Warhol yesterday on May 1st. Here's an ekphrastic shadorma.

Mayday (M’aidez)
after Andy Warhol, Orangutan
(Endangered Species series, 1983)
Light lemon,
an orangutan,
endangered,
looks at us
from forty years ago. “Help
me . . . we need your help.”

—Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]

Andy Warhol, Orangutan
(Endangered Species series, 1983)




On Day 107, 3 May 2025, home from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Writing again on a beautiful print by Andy Warhol I saw there. Once more an ekphrastic shadorma.

Thwarted Courting
after Andy Warhol,
San Francisco Silverspot Butterfly
(Endangered Species series, 1983)
Butterfly
seeking a sweet mate
for ballet,
skyward dance,
but no other silverspots
for her whole life now.

—Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]

Andy Warhol, San Francisco Silverspot Butterfly
(Endangered Species series, 1983)




On Day 108, 4 May 2025, I've decided to write ekphrastic poems on the entire Andy Warhol series I saw at Mayo Clinic recently. I thought the Orangutan poem was a one-off. But this is now the third ekphrastic shadorma on those prints.

We Can Save Them!
after Andy Warhol, Bald Eagle
(Endangered Species series, 1983)
Bald Eagle
— our country’s symbol
no longer
endangered
two decades from Warhol’s art —
flying future skies.

—Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]

Andy Warhol, Bald Eagle
(Endangered Species series, 1983).

The Bald Eagle was declared neither endangered nor threatened in 2007. They are flourishing today.





On Day 109, 5 May 2025, another ekphrastic shadorma on one more print from the Andy Warhol Endangered Species portfolio I've been working with.

Megalith Speaks
after Andy Warhol, Black Rhinoceros
(Endangered Species series, 1983)
Indigo
huge mountain am I,
blood orange
obelisk
spiking from my face, sheer cliff.
To the end I stand.


—Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]

Andy Warhol, Black Rhinoceros
(Endangered Species series, 1983).




On Day 110, 6 May 2025, once again, an ekphrastic shadorma on another print from the Andy Warhol Endangered Species portfolio I've been working with . . . today #5.

Parable
after Andy Warhol, African Elephant
(Endangered Species series, 1983)
I recall
those six old blind men,
snake, spear, fan,
tree, wall, rope . . .
stupid. I'm just Elephant.
Noble. Happy. Me.

—Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]

Andy Warhol, African Elephant
(Endangered Species series, 1983).




On Day 111, 7 May 2025, one more ekphrastic shadorma on a different print from the Andy Warhol Endangered Species portfolio ... #6 of 10.

Tree Frog Euphony
after Andy Warhol,
Pine Barren Tree Frog
(Endangered Species, 1983)
Frog's keyboard
imaginary
on tree branch
plays soft frail
melodies, ethereal
music . . . almost gone.

—Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]

Andy Warhol, Pine Barrens Tree Frog
(Endangered Species series, 1983).




On Day 112, 8 May 2025, a humorous ekphrastic shadorma — I hope it's funny! — on another Warhol Endangered Species print . . . #7 of 10. I wanted to squeeze the Cowardly Lion in there somehow but ran out of room (a good thing, probably).

Tiger Reigns
after Andy Warhol, TITLE
(Endangered Species series, 1983)
Lion what?
You know he's no king.
Not one stripe,
that Lion!
Look at me: orange and black —
Rex! Tiger's your King.

—Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]

Andy Warhol, Siberian Tiger
(Endangered Species series, 1983).




On Day 113, 9 May 2025, on yet one more Warhol Endangered Species print . . . ekphrastic shadorma #8 of 10.

Black and White Seas
after Andy Warhol, Grevy's Zebra
(Endangered Species series, 1983)
We Zebras
ruled the savanna,
our vast herds
horizon
to horizon once . . . the sun
rose and set on us.

—Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]

Andy Warhol, Grevy's Zebra
(Endangered Species series, 1983).




On Day 114, 10 May 2025, the penultimate ekphrastic shadorma on Warhol Endangered Species portfolio . . . #9 of 10.

Prayer of the Bighorn Sheep
after Andy Warhol, Bighorn Ram
(Endangered Species series, 1983)
O Mountain,
you are our refuge.
We climb, stand
on your cliffs,
laugh at silly predators
below. Safe, great heights.

—Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]

Andy Warhol, Bighorn Ram
(Endangered Species series, 1983).




On Day 115, 11 May 2025, the last ekphrastic shadorma for Andy Warhol's Endangered Species series from 1983. It's been a great little project.

Panda Flirting
after Andy Warhol, Giant Panda
(Endangered Species series, 1983)
Odors, smell . . .
our talk. Scent markers
say friend, foe,
female, male.
We rub love notes on trees, rocks:
come on up . . . I’m here.

—Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]

Andy Warhol, Giant Panda
(Endangered Species series, 1983).


Friends, won’t you comment, please? Love to know what you’re thinking.

Ingat, everyone.  
 


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