Art – Poetry – Donna Manley and Andrea Lettic

For our 2018 Art & Poetry pairing, one pairing was with artist Donna Manley and poet Andrea Lettic.

Here are the works they created!

Donna Manley provided this artwork to Andrea:

In response, Andrea wrote the following poem:

Slow down.
But time is running out
In this out-west town.

Father time imprints history –
Faded denim.
Worn boots.
Deep lines like cattles’ brands.

As waves of technological advancement
grow stronger they stir up the Monsanto’s dust,
choking out those who want to live on the land.
Stealing every cent.

There is strength in nature.
Preserve.
Conserve.
Together we’ll carry these traditions on.

The second half of this pairing involved Andrea giving Donna a poem as a starting point. Andrea provided this poem:

I Do

For better or worse…
but this is the worst.
Still much alive
but stuck in this hearse.
Debt and buried alive
I suffocate from this Earth.
The weight from this ground –
your silence a deafening sound.
How many rock bottoms
can one tavern hold?
“Going in for just one.”
Or so that’s what I am told.
Will it get better,
our now and forever?
Because like I said first,
this is the worst.

In response, Donna created this artwork:

2018 Art-Poetry Pairing main page