Picasso's Paint

This poem demonstrates  how Pablo Picasso created a political statement about the Spanish Civil War within his painting Guernica.

Picasso’s Paint

A poem by Katherine Christiano

A country town

Both small and plain

Called Guernica

In Northern Spain

Was caught among

A fatal mix
Of war
In nineteen-thirty six

The people did scream

And the children did cry

As bombs, they fell

Right from the sky                                                                                 

General Franco

A fascist leader, they say

Was the dark force surrounding

Events of that day

In Paris, that day

Far across the land

Lived Pablo Picasso

With paintbrush in hand

He heard of the news                                                                                     

And his heart sank in pain

To hear the bombs fell                                                                                

In his hometown of Spain

He decided that day

He knew then and there

Just what he would paint

For the Paris World Fair

And so became Guernica

In black white and gray

Picasso’s ode to his hometown                                                                   

And that tragic spring day

Not the glories of war

Or the heroes of Spain

But the death and destruction

The nonsensical pain

So in Paris that day

Picasso’s paint took a stance

Yet the message goes deeper

Than it seems at first glance

See the bull on the far left                                                                             

Looking dark and serene

Like a sinister presence

Detached from the scene

The bull may represent                                                                                                    

Bomber Nazis in flight

Or perhaps he’s the man

Who gave orders to fight

The horse in the center

Expression of fear

Painted so lively

The scream, you can hear

It’s been said that the horse

In its obvious pain

Represents all the victims                                                                           

The people of Spain

See the woman and child

Though it may mean much more

Devastating results

Of a harsh civil war

A candle burns brightly                                                                   In the midst of it all

Held by a figure

Stretching straight through the wall

A light among chaos

A promising sign

A symbol of hope

In a troubling time

At the top of the scene

Is a soaring white dove

Camouflaged by the darkness

Like a shadow above

The white dove should reflect

An emblem of peace

But the painted black wings

Show the fire won’t cease

Guernica hangs today

In a place in Madrid

A testimony of war 
And the damage it did                                                                                          

Picasso’s paint spread the truth

Of war’s horrors and sins

A civil war is a battle

That nobody wins

Picasso’s paint told a story

One the victims couldn't tell

Not just Guernica’s image

But  their voices as well

References:

Beardsley, John. First Impressions: Pablo Picasso. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1991. Print.

Forrest, Andrew. The Spanish Civil War. London: Routledge, 2000. Print.

"Guernica: A Testimony of War." Treasures of the World. PBS. N.d. Guernica: A Testimony of War. Web. 8 Oct. 2014. <www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/guernica_nav/main_guerfrm.html>. Transcript.

Lac, Karen. Pablo Picasso- A Biography of Spain's Most Colorful Painter. N.p.: Hyperink, 2002. Print.

Image Credits:

Beardsley, John. First Impressions: Pablo Picasso