Our first guest blogger during  lockdown.

Many thanks to Phil Howard for sharing from his book of poems Seeing With Words. They vividly illustrate in a witty and engaging way the unique stories behind some of our paintings. 

Pauline in the Yellow Dress
Sir James Gunn, 1944 Harris Museum & Art Gallery, Preston

It was a risky enterprise, it’s true,
To portray a well-dressed, wealthy lady
At the height of wartime austerity,
But that’s the kind of thing that artists do
And always will, it’s really nothing new;
Still, I’m glad he captured for posterity
That less than enigmatic look we see;
I have no doubt as to its meaning, do you?
That cute presenter on the TV will
Never look at me that way no matter
How much I smirk and simper at the screen
And swear to her divine image that her
Beauty rivals that of a goddess-queen –
Though, if she did – Wow! – that would be a thrill.

You would have loved it, wouldn’t you
To have had a nice refreshing jar
In the pub that they called ‘The Man in the Moon’?
The one that they built halfway up a tree
As depicted by Anthony Devis.
I’m not lying, it’s absolutely true,
Take a look at the picture and you’ll see:
What a great place to spend a Happy Hour;
Some drunkards look like they’re warbling a tune,
Singing “you gotta come up here and see this”!

Perhaps there were loads of such drinking dens
Scattered all across the nation,
An alternative to cellar bars?
Perhaps there was a whole chain of the things?
Likely they would have been called ‘Treetop Inns’.
You’d have had to walk past the sheep and the hens
And then sprout a pair of virtual wings
To get a pint, but what a sensation!
Knocking back your ale, gazing at the stars
Whilst getting paralytic for your sins.

Phil Howard

These three poems  vividly illustrate in a witty and engaging way the unique stories behind some of our paintings. Its great to read them again!  The Preston Poets’ Society have organised brilliant poetry events at the Harris. Thank you Phil. 

Harris Fine Art Curator
Lindsey McCormick