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| Arlequin by by René de Saint-Marceaux photographed at the Musée des Beaux Arts in Lyon, France, by Kelly Ramsdell |
Who is that masked man? I thought I knew. I'd seen him before. Replicas of this statue are all over Amazon, ebay, and auction sites. A version even appeared on The Antique Roadshow.
If you get a chance to watch that Roadshow video, it gives some background on the original marble sculpture---which I cannot find images of online-- as well as info about the various bronze and plaster casts (in various sizes) that have been made from it, such as the one Kelly snapped a photo of in Lyon.
What I didn't know was how complicated the history of the Arlequin (Harlequin) character was. For one thing, he began as a dark-faced devil character in French passion plays--yes, sadly, as another portrayal of a black man as a demon. His clothes were a slave's rags and patches before they evolved into a more orderly diamond pattern, and he was part of the tradition of blackface clowning in minstrel theater. I think his half mask may be the last remnant of that.
Much of that history is obscured, however, because the Harlequin also became a popular member of the zanni or comic servant characters in the Italian Commedia dell’Arte. There, his trope became one of a clever servant who thwarts his master...and courts his lady love with wit and panache. We might recognize bits of him today in our modern romantic hero.
So. That's a lot of stuff packed into one stock character. More than I could handle in one poem. In the end, I wrote what I saw reflected back in his eyes --- but I'm curious: how would you describe what YOU see in him?
Arlequin
A stock character
takes stock of his life:
always tasked
by the master
always masked
from his true love
always asked
to repeat
the same lines.
—-and yet—
We never master
our taste for sharp
laughter;
we are unmasked
by it, we ask
with applause
for Love in tricked
out plaster, cast
marble to actor;
same lines;
new disaster.
----Sara Lewis Holmes (all rights reserved)
My poetry sisters all wrote about what they saw in our masked man. Find their poems here:
Poetry Friday is hosted today by Violet, who writes enticingly about Poetry Camp.
Thank you for the introduction. I read a bit about the history of the harlequin as well, but couldn't figure out how to include that information in my poem.
ReplyDeleteI love the rhyme you have winding through this, connecting your ideas so beautifully. My favorite lines:
We never master
our taste for sharp
laughter;
Love this.
I got kind of lost researching the background of the Arlequin character because there was so much more than I was anticipating! I should've known he was an archetype and thus, rich with history and layered with meaning.
DeleteHoly Hannah, but this poem is wonderful. And a bit Kay Ryan-like with its internal rhyme and such. I adore it!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I really had fun with the rhyme. It was the first time I tried using so much of it without a form to guide me. SO--"Kay Ryan-like"...I'll take it!
DeleteVery nice, Sara. One to savor.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tabatha.
DeleteThe internal rhyme is so nice - and the last lines just make me smile. Poor Tricksters; new lines, same disasters.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, poor Tricksters, who trick themselves without even realizing it...
DeleteI haven't seen Hamilton, but this reminds me of what I've read of the lyrics. I would really love to hear you rap this, because it just seems to have that kind of flow. Fantastic internal rhyme!
ReplyDeleteHa! Well, maybe I'll give it a try on SoundCloud. Or feel free to play with it yourself, hee, hee.
DeleteYou said that was more than you could handle in one poem, but it's wonderful the way you managed to capture that complicated history in these short lines.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteIt's fascinating to see how different people interpret the same figure, and the stories that different poets weave from the same inspiration. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's what I love how writing with my Poetry Sisters---it's amazing what they come up with that I never could.
DeleteSo well done with the wordplay of "master" and "mask." The ending word, "disaster" brought to mind the poem "One Art" by Elizabeth Bishop. Reading these various interpretations of the same art piece is interesting. (And thanks for the history too!)
ReplyDeleteYes! I, too, thought of "One Art" as I wrote this. I adore that poem.
DeleteYes, the rhymes! And I, too, thought immediately of Kay Ryan! Thanks for all the backstory/research!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. And thanks for the Ryan compliment. :)
DeleteSara, this is wonderful. If I won the lottery I would give myself a salary and a contract to walk the museums and galleries of DC and respond to the beauty and the history of the art with words. I so enjoyed this poem!
ReplyDeleteI responded on Jama's comments....I am willing to consider an East Coast Poetry Camp. I don't have the contacts or the know-how of such an event. But, if you remember coming to my school a few years ago to talk about Operation Yes! I can see about using my library as a space. I haven't asked about such a thing ever before. But, I'd be willing to explore the possibility. If you or anyone in the DC area is thinking about something like this....count me in.
There are actually some ekphrastic workshops being offered at the National Gallery of Art: http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/education/adults/writing-salon.html
DeleteAnd yes! to Poetry Camp on the East coast. The offer of your library is wonderful. I'm happy to be a part of making this happen! I have a tight deadline this next week, but after that, I can explore with others how to make this a reality. Woooo-hooo!
Wonderful. Have a great week and good luck on the deadline. I'm getting ready for the Va Assoc. of School Librarians in ten days. We can connect when you are ready.
ReplyDeleteI'm all over the workshop suggestion. Headed there now. Thanks!
So many things seen as light hearted now have dark origins. Surely he was a precursor to modern circus clowns and mimes, both of which are very French.
ReplyDelete