When Van Gogh Died
What went wrong when Van Gogh died?
Why didn’t we listen
when he tried to help us
see the world differently--
and we refused?
Could our perceptions be muted
by technology and the need
for comfort
instead of rising
in the creative spirit?
Is innovative art a threat
to all of those who want to fit in,
happy to follow the overused
and the tiresome?
Will our freedom to explore,
be lost and ignored
as generations pass
in words written in cliché?
Will there ever be a time when we
don't follow protocol; instead of
plagiarizing those we admire
from books and on social media?
Or did the world stop breathing
once Van Gogh died--
and the colors of the cafes and landscapes
turned dark and dreary?
Why didn’t we listen
when he tried to help us
see the world differently--
and we refused?
Could our perceptions be muted
by technology and the need
for comfort
instead of rising
in the creative spirit?
Is innovative art a threat
to all of those who want to fit in,
happy to follow the overused
and the tiresome?
Will our freedom to explore,
be lost and ignored
as generations pass
in words written in cliché?
Will there ever be a time when we
don't follow protocol; instead of
plagiarizing those we admire
from books and on social media?
Or did the world stop breathing
once Van Gogh died--
and the colors of the cafes and landscapes
turned dark and dreary?
Mark Tulin
Mark Tulin is a retired therapist from California. Mark authored Magical Yogis, Awkward Grace, The Asthmatic Kid and Other Stories, Junkyard Souls, and Rain on Cabrillo. He's featured in Weeds and Wildflowers, Still Point Journal, The Mindful Word, The Haight Ashbury Literary Journal, Amethyst Review, Vita Brevis Press, White Enso, Still Point Journal, and other publications. He is a Pushcart nominee and a Best of Drabble. Mark's website is www.crowonthewire.com.
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