“Silence is so accurate”—Mark Rothko
I was pleased to be included with Ken Gierke at rivrvlogr in the responses to Mark Rothko’s untitled painting with my poem “Through the Window”.
I did two paintings and one collage in response to Rothko’s painting. His work looks simple–“a child could do it”–but it is filled with possibilities if you take the time to look.
stillness is white
silence is black
repression is red
Paul’s Poetry Playground coincidentally featured an invented poetry form called “The Rothko” this week, so I’ve attempted two of those as well, loosely based on the quote, above.
white is before
red is during
black is after
You can see Rothko’s painting, and read all the responses to it, here. Thanks to editor Lorette Luzajic, as always, for featuring my work.
K. 
All that in the darkness, all that waiting at the other side. I like your blood drawn unwillingly too. That blood does not seem happy blood to me. Well done! You and Ken have certainly got something going there 🙂
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Thanks Jane. No, that blood is not happy.
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Yet I read that for Rothko red was one of his happy colours. Maybe originally when he used it with other bright colours, but red and black together are not optimistic.
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I agree.
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I feel like I’m moving in time while looking at the last image and reading the accompanying words. Interesting illusion.
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Thanks Olga. That’s a beautiful description of Rothko’s work.
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Congratulations, Kerfe, and thank you. I’m happy to be on the same page with you.
I immediately recognized your words as I read your response – the moon (soon to pass out of sight) in that window of darkness, a vision that spills through but denies access, both as reminders of what awaits.
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Thanks Ken. I think our words complement each other well.
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I agree.
It’s interesting that you include two “Rothko” poems. I had seen Paul’s post about that form after submitting my response to The Ekphrastic Review, so I tried it. I’ll include it in my post about the Challenge responses.
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I’ll look for them!
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Wow! Great work! Your paintings are incredible, and you really mastered the rothko form. I think both Rothko and Holman would be proud.
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Thanks Paul! The form fits the art well.
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Congratulations–indeed a portal. I knew the poem was yours before I read your name. There does seem to be so much in his painting. I had said to Jane that the black seems endless. Your second image makes be think of a planet moving through space. And I agree that your work and Ken’s seem to complement each other.
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Thanks Merril. There are some artists I come to appreciate more and more as I get older, and Rothko is one of them.
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Also, I forgot to say, do you know Dar Williams’ song that has the Rothko references?
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I do know it! She has many wonderful songs.
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Yes, I really like her. Daughters do, too.
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