Julia Griffin
A Martyr in Cripplegate
After reading Jennifer Wallace, Digging Up Milton (2015)
When Milton’s grave was breached again
Antiquaries to entertain,
They worshipped for a shilling’s fee
That ruinous anatomy,
Then plundered it—intent to own
Some spark that lingered round the bone.
Thus he, once scourge of popish taint,
Became a literary saint:
His locks were pressed for mourning rings,
Revered by bishops and by kings,
And of his teeth were relics made,
For misdevotion’s eager trade.
Let none be hasty to condemn
If miracles were claimed from them;
If cures were sought from teeth and hair,
For those who sought them, sigh a prayer:
For since our loss of Paradise,
No easy comfort can suffice;
And all they did they did because
Of what a miracle he was.
Cinderella Was Hell to Work For
Them as aren’t born to it are always meaner:
No thoughtfulness. Glass splinters everywhere.
White mice are nasty things, ask any cleaner.
Tangles! You should have seen Rapunzel’s hair.
Miss so-called “Briar Rose” was lazy. Fairy?
All sounds a bit convenient to me.
Snow White had “friends”, and I’m a blue canary.
She called them “dwarves”—well, she was 6’3.
That Beauty, once she’d married into quality,
Never said “thank you” once. Poor Mr. Beast.
Poor Mr. Bluebeard—always nagged at! He
Deserved a wife who wiped his keys, at least.
She nabbed a Frog Prince after. And the slime!
Don’t get me started. Once upon a time…
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
| Anna Lee Hafer is a studio artist based in the Philadelphia area whose work is heavily influenced by such famous surrealist painters as René Magritte, Salvador Dali, and Pablo Picasso, all of whom strove to build their own realities through small glimpses into a particularly confusing, but utterly unique worldview that dictates its own specific set of instructions. With references to the laws and physics of Alice's Wonderland, the artist challenges the audience's inherent understanding of perspective, reality, and universal order.
In her work, Hafer pours and layers paint to create dimension and texture, mixing different styles and colors onto each other until they produce a 3D effect. Through marker and pencil that create shadow, she further enhances these forms and separates them from the background. Heavier layers and thicker brushstrokes in the foreground of her work push the painting toward the viewer, whereas the thinner layers and small brushstrokes in the background, elongate the space and push away from the viewer. By juxtaposing interior and exterior elements, Hafer makes the audience question whether they are looking at something inside or outside.
For additional information, please visit www.hafer.work.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
