Claudia Schatz
Shrine
I knew, before I knew, to write it down.
She came into my bedroom as I dressed
awash in sweet, calm tears, the softest sound
and pressed herself up close against my chest.
She whispered, "I know it will be okay,"
such clarity and peace—her eyes were clear.
I'd held her through the darkest, raw dismay
but now, she shone as if free of all fear.
She turned; I watched her walk across the snow
still warmed and tender from her heart on mine.
She seemed so lucid, sad but sure, aglow,
I wrote it down, like something to enshrine.
And not till hours later did I think
her calm was that of stepping off the brink.
Street Music
give girls bikes, give girls grease-black hands,
cheek smudges after sweat-wiping,
feet churning circles in the air, free-wheeling,
give girls gears & No I don't need a ride,
give girls whirlwind glitter cities, soft velvet blacktop,
flight with no wings & no training wheels,
smooth shifters, swift & slick, hot hard helmet heads,
pumping piston thighs, give girls the street
give girls wheels, whipped air past open windows
& car radios, leather & musk leaking oil on concrete,
give girls keys & wrenches to take it all apart,
that quickflash going-anywhere goodbye speed,
faster faster till the animal eyes, the shouts, the jungle cat
calls & the wild words blur to song
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The Poetry by the Sea Spring Celebration is available for viewing on Youtube as a permanent memorial and tribute to Mezzo Cammin's founder, Dr. Kim Bridgford (1959-2020). Click here to watch.
The 2022 Poetry by the Sea conference will run May 24-27 2022.
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| My work contributes to the dialogue among feminist writers, historians, critics, and artists to define a space for creative work and agency for women. Through my figurative paintings, I challenge notions about the female body, redefine myths, and recover the lives of historical women. I draw upon my knowledge of art history, symbolism, and iconography to create rich stories about the women I paint. By projecting my own likeness into many of the portraits I create or by using models, I identify with the women I paint and explore my own sense of being an artist and woman in relation to accomplished women across centuries and cultures.
Here we see the pages from my newest artist book, I Wake Again, based on the life of Pre-Raphaelite artist and poet, Elizabeth Siddal. The poems are written by Kim Bridgford, who was a dear friend for 30 plus years. The pages are printed in lithography and the initial letter of each poem is done in silkscreen. The font of the poems is Morris Font. The ink color is graphite. I have reimagined key moments in Elizabeth’s life, such as her birth, her writing poetry, reading, painting, and her death. Each book contains red hair and has been bound by Maureen Cummins.
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