Art – Poetry – Bob Evans and Kara Emily Krantz

For our 2018 Art & Poetry pairing, one pairing was with artist Bob Evans and poet Kara Emily Krantz.

Here are the works they created!

Bob Evans provided this artwork to Kara Emily:

In response, Kara Emily wrote the following poem:

I’m grasping onto a memory.

Relying on this banged-up,
unreliable narrator of a mind
that won’t let
you go.

I’m sifting through dirt, searching for vestiges –
calling it archeology so the truth
won’t symbolically slay me.

My darling, lay me down to sleep
beside you.

I’m grasping onto my sanity.

Relying on my faith to uphold me
and the memory of our love to mold me
to this place.

I can still taste your lemon meringue kisses
and the bitterness left behind
from our goodbyes.

I’m grasping without thinking,
without a concept of what else
to do.

I’m grasping, I’m gasping.

I’m holding on to you.

The second half of this pairing involved Kara Emily giving Bob a poem as a starting point. Kara Emily provided this poem:

fingers press against wet soil,
compacting my heart deeper against
the concave pressure of the earth.

can I begin again? Is there a point where loss
becomes gain, and can you show me that place
so I can press my cheek against the ground
and feel its heart beat?

my cheeks are smudged with ashes
– you smile and call it smoky eyes –
and I have to admit
it’s a good
look.

it’s warm here, where the fire fans my freedom
and I’m grasping for your hand, so I can press it
against my chest
and beat again.

In response, Bob created this artwork:

2018 Art-Poetry Pairing main page