Sculpture Park
A crisp and cloud-specked day
we walked the city through
to Oslo’s Frogner Park.
A pastime.
Instead we lit on life:
love of living,
faith in family.
One hundred fifty statuaries
by Gustav Vigeland.
Across the bridge
posed on a parapet,
bronze statue people move
and shout – celebrating joy.
Life cycles in bas relief
surround the central fountain.
Wrought iron children
climb wrought iron trees
frosted from the fountain’s spray.
They smile and climb in happy play.
A rise of stairs
through iron entrance gates
to granite people,
speaking pain and pleasure.
Speaking love.
Speaking children.
Speaking mother’s comfort
to a son who’s grieving.
Carved eyes
with pity, laughter, love.
Caressing hands, reaching out,
flecks of granite –
freckles on their flesh.
I could sail forever
on Norway’s fair fjords
and never find the wonder
Vigeland’s work affords.
* TOUCHSTONES, Winston-Derek Publishers, Inc. (No longer publishing)
No comments:
Post a Comment