Guernica is most pertinent art for our troubled times. The crisis of humanity that the world is currently witnessing in merciless massacre of Palestinians. A massacre that is being live streamed on our mobile phones. Any semblance of morality is in ruins just like the homes and dismangled bodies of innocents are!
I think you pretty well nailed it. And the bombs keep rolling off the assembly lines and the babes and their mothers and their brothers and dads and grandpas and grandmas and aunts and uncles and cousins are blown to bits, tinier than before, and tinier, and tinier, until only mist of flesh and bones and blood is left. The students notice it, and comment.
Now, today, 25,000 pardoned criminals from prisons in the provinces of Russia, 11, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three time zones from the Kremlin, are ready to pour into Chasiv Yar, the headquarters of the Ukrainian eastern command. This new batch of cannon fodder: 900 men a day killed by Ukraine defenders. When the Russians want to protest their ill - usage all they can do is turn around and run away from the front lines, to be shot by their own army & their bodies left on the fields, for NGO’s & Ukrainian volunteers & soldiers to collect. The Armed Forces of Ukraine low on materiel & manpower, neglected by a hedon world; suddenly alert to the peril.
Franco, supported by Hitler, ruled over Spain from 1939 to 1975. In the first four years alone, 200,000 civilians died from forced labor, concentration camps, and executions. At Franco’s request, Italian and German planes leveled the small Basque village of Guernica, which Picasso protested with his 26-foot-wide painting in grey, black and white. Most of the civilians that were killed were women and children (the men were away fighting). It was market day so everyone was in one convenient place to be murdered. Albert Camus said of the Spanish struggle: “It is now nine years that men of my generation have had Spain within their hearts. Nine years that they have carried it with them like an evil wound. It was in Spain that men learned that one can be right and yet be beaten, that force can vanquish spirit, that there are times when courage is not its own recompense. It is this, doubtless, which explains why so many men, the world over, regard the Spanish drama as a personal tragedy.”
Grey ‒ the color of desolation, malaise, despair, and most certainly disgust. Putin, Assad, Hussein, Hitler, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, Genghis Khan – these are not grey areas in history though seeped in crimson red, spewed with hatred. The women stay home and take care of the babies, the wounded, the dying, the dead. They grey themselves to move inside the horror and to mask their crimson rage and blue hearts grown cold. They can’t function otherwise.
I just love this poem. When I first saw Picasso’s “Guernica,” I thought I would stop breathing. It is my once-in-lifetime-recognition-of-war painting. Absolute genius. When I bought “Auguries of Innocence,” this poem was the one that knocked me out. Thank you. 💔
Wonderfully visceral and imagistic poem on the atrocities of war. You brought the Picasso to life and told a haunting story. It was just a painting before. Thanks Patti for your brilliant work and peace and love.
Beautiful, Patti. When I first saw an image of Guernica, the art teacher had hung it up on the wire with the other posters of famous paintings in the elementary school art room, and he would tell us the story about each painting he showed us; I was in 1st grade, Vietnam was going on, and even at that young age, I was connecting the dots, the painting, and the CBS 6 o'clock news. Chaos, pain, and suffering that war causes on innocent lives happen to be in the way of those who choose to go to war with one another because of ideology. And a friend's brother who was dishonorably discharged because he refused to pick up his gun.
Crying now as l seem to do more often these days. Is it age l ask myself or is it that l can bear no more war. One of my favourite paintings paired with the perfect poem, thank you Patti and big hugs to you. Today in London it’s time to March for Peace. I shall hold this in my thoughts as l March. Much love from London 🙏
Thank you!
This part of Guernica always reminded me of Mother Courage and her “silent scream”.
Guernica is most pertinent art for our troubled times. The crisis of humanity that the world is currently witnessing in merciless massacre of Palestinians. A massacre that is being live streamed on our mobile phones. Any semblance of morality is in ruins just like the homes and dismangled bodies of innocents are!
I think you pretty well nailed it. And the bombs keep rolling off the assembly lines and the babes and their mothers and their brothers and dads and grandpas and grandmas and aunts and uncles and cousins are blown to bits, tinier than before, and tinier, and tinier, until only mist of flesh and bones and blood is left. The students notice it, and comment.
stunning Miss Patti, just stuninng.
Indeed, indeed
Now, today, 25,000 pardoned criminals from prisons in the provinces of Russia, 11, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three time zones from the Kremlin, are ready to pour into Chasiv Yar, the headquarters of the Ukrainian eastern command. This new batch of cannon fodder: 900 men a day killed by Ukraine defenders. When the Russians want to protest their ill - usage all they can do is turn around and run away from the front lines, to be shot by their own army & their bodies left on the fields, for NGO’s & Ukrainian volunteers & soldiers to collect. The Armed Forces of Ukraine low on materiel & manpower, neglected by a hedon world; suddenly alert to the peril.
Franco, supported by Hitler, ruled over Spain from 1939 to 1975. In the first four years alone, 200,000 civilians died from forced labor, concentration camps, and executions. At Franco’s request, Italian and German planes leveled the small Basque village of Guernica, which Picasso protested with his 26-foot-wide painting in grey, black and white. Most of the civilians that were killed were women and children (the men were away fighting). It was market day so everyone was in one convenient place to be murdered. Albert Camus said of the Spanish struggle: “It is now nine years that men of my generation have had Spain within their hearts. Nine years that they have carried it with them like an evil wound. It was in Spain that men learned that one can be right and yet be beaten, that force can vanquish spirit, that there are times when courage is not its own recompense. It is this, doubtless, which explains why so many men, the world over, regard the Spanish drama as a personal tragedy.”
Grey ‒ the color of desolation, malaise, despair, and most certainly disgust. Putin, Assad, Hussein, Hitler, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, Genghis Khan – these are not grey areas in history though seeped in crimson red, spewed with hatred. The women stay home and take care of the babies, the wounded, the dying, the dead. They grey themselves to move inside the horror and to mask their crimson rage and blue hearts grown cold. They can’t function otherwise.
I just love this poem. When I first saw Picasso’s “Guernica,” I thought I would stop breathing. It is my once-in-lifetime-recognition-of-war painting. Absolute genius. When I bought “Auguries of Innocence,” this poem was the one that knocked me out. Thank you. 💔
heartbreakingly enduring
Wonderfully visceral and imagistic poem on the atrocities of war. You brought the Picasso to life and told a haunting story. It was just a painting before. Thanks Patti for your brilliant work and peace and love.
Picasso and Patti in tandem, both so powerful in describing the atrocities of war.
Thank you Patti for providing this peaceful space.
Beautiful, Patti. When I first saw an image of Guernica, the art teacher had hung it up on the wire with the other posters of famous paintings in the elementary school art room, and he would tell us the story about each painting he showed us; I was in 1st grade, Vietnam was going on, and even at that young age, I was connecting the dots, the painting, and the CBS 6 o'clock news. Chaos, pain, and suffering that war causes on innocent lives happen to be in the way of those who choose to go to war with one another because of ideology. And a friend's brother who was dishonorably discharged because he refused to pick up his gun.
Picasso was a master
Crying now as l seem to do more often these days. Is it age l ask myself or is it that l can bear no more war. One of my favourite paintings paired with the perfect poem, thank you Patti and big hugs to you. Today in London it’s time to March for Peace. I shall hold this in my thoughts as l March. Much love from London 🙏
Heart wrenching 😔