Monday 29 August 2011

Against the Dearth of Monday Poems
Viennese Escapes

Why the Dearth of Monday Poems?
Says me, while looking at Sunday's mirror.

Mondays follow Sundays,
and that alone should be reason
to celebrate.

Remember
Monsieur Renoir?

Echoes of Auguste's
Luncheon of the Boating Party?

The well dressed Ladies
in their summer finery?

The clinking of the glasses,
the bottles of wine?

The waiter in the starched white shirt?
Oops, wrong line,
wrong picture too!

(Come to think of it,
who wants to be served
by Renoir's garçons in underwear???)

There we go!
Oops, there we go again, indeed,
wrong image! *sigh*


Look at this scene,
out on a wooden deck,
no boat in sight, but
no mysterious gentlemen in tophats either!

Ever wondered about those gentlemen,
milling about in the back of Renoir's boat,
looking like ominous tax collectors,
ready to spoil the fun
?

Ah, Life is But a Dream
Built on a dearth of Monday poems
!

*

Photographed by Merisi
who admired Renoir's
beautiful, room-filling painting intently
on many a visit to The Phillips Collection
in Washington, DC

May 17, 2009
Schloss Hof - Hof Castle
Lower Austria

Once upon a time,
Hof Castle had a working manor farm.
Nowadays the farm's main building houses
the restaurant
"Zum Weißen Pfau"
To the White Peacock
The outdoor eating area
offers a view of the gardens and the
rolling hills of the open countryside

*

Dedicated to my friends
Renate and Veronika

"The Luncheon of the Boating Party"
would not have been half the fun
without their company!

Images and Text
are Merisi's own
© by Merisi

15 comments:

  1. Your last photo has blown my mind, it is so surreal... Thank you!

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  2. Merisi, once again you've given me beautiful thoughts and images to take along on my own Monday journeys.

    Yes, The Phillips Collection is a very special place.

    Many thanks also for your comments.

    xo

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  3. Civilised, sophisticated, elegant, yummy!

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  4. Lovely post - once again, words and images a delight. And I'm fascinated by the first/last photo with such interesting shapes, light, reflections!

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  5. I love this homage to The Boating Party! What fun! And your Sunday morning images are idyllic and the wild plums might be the fruit of Paradise -- it's always such a delight to visit Merisi's Vienna.

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  6. I love this homage to The Boating Party! What fun! And your Sunday morning images are idyllic and the wild plums might be the fruit of Paradise -- it's always such a delight to visit Merisi's Vienna.

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  7. Charming, Merisi, as always. Love that delicate lacy white top on the woman. I'd like to be having a luncheon boating party right about now...xo

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  8. I often wondered at those gentlemen in top hats at a boat party. They look so out of place.

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  9. As you probably know, I am able to visit the Phillips just about anytime I want to which is a wonderful thing. This was lovely. xo

    (PS: I wish someone had said so it falls to me bec. I'd want someone to tell me - typo in title. I was editor for a long time, what can I say?:)

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  10. Giulia,
    thank you for letting me know! A paean to the editor!
    I miss not being able anymore to just walk up to the Phillips, I even miss their little cafeteria. Nice way to combine lunch and Renoir!

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  11. Jinksy,
    I found those reflections mesmerizing and had to capture them.

    Frances,
    thank you!
    Let's dream of the Boating Party tonight. ;-)

    Moannie,
    merci! :-)

    Charles Gramlich,
    I remember when I first saw the memoirs of Paula Fox, I loved its poignant title, "Borrowed Finery".

    Vicki Lane,
    thank you such much!

    A Brush with Color,
    wouldn't that be fun, all of us here having lunch at the pier?

    Loree,
    oh, you made me smile, good to know that you were also wondering about those gentlemen (what a contrast to the men in the foreground!). ;-)

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  12. I love the positive attitude toward Monday--it's so unappreciated!

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  13. Amber,
    oh, I love the way you put it:
    Monday is so unappreciated.
    Thank you! :-)

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  14. Beautiful light and reflections !

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