Poetry about Art – San Fran Review

A Martin Van Buren Frottage, part one

Where is Martin Van Buren

now that America needs him?

(Glaring up from a creek

bed in Novato California)

A Martin Van Buren Frottage!

(Where is Martin Van Buren, now that America needs him?)

When Martin Van Buren appears
we give a toot.
We are the only duly recognized
Martin Van Buren authority.

We’ve learned well from history
what would Van Buren wear?
what would Van Buren say?
what made V.B. presidential?

The Martin Van Buren look.
The Martin Van Buren way.
Martin Van Buren’s greatest hits —
A Martin Van Buren Frottage!

Martin Van Buren’s hairline
Evoked his life and time.
His bulbous nose and pointed chin
the world might never see again…

A Martin Van Buren Frottage!

This wild mongoose of an artist
Snapping in the social fray
turning lights on everything
a prophet of his day

A thoughtful and extremely rare
artist Visionaire
his particular winning shine
showed its detail for all time

A civilization in Decline
the Nazi rise it would unfold
in his paintings big and bold
Grosz unequaled social critic
Prescient foretold

Casting poignant imagery
Cultural degeneration
bureaucrats misguided
drippy grifters waving fists

Authoritarian Decadence
Grosz would be confronting this

Dramatizing evil snipes
who’d wipe the goodness from our midst
Courageous artists like George Grosz
today are sorely missed