Adamarie Fuller, winner of ekphrastic poetry competition, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

 

Adamarie Fuller’s poems have appeared in several publications including Texas Poetry Calendar (Honorable Mention, 2009), The Weight of Addition, The Austin International Poetry Festival Anthology (Honorable Mention, 2011), A Summers Poems, The Houston Poetry Fest Anthology, Sol Magazine, The Poetry Revolt and Poetry at Round Top.  Outside the poetry world, Adamarie is a CPA for a multinational firm, mother and grandmother.

Adamarie Fuller was one of the winners of the inaugural ekphrastic poetry competition (Ekphrasis is the graphic, often dramatic, description of a visual work of art) for Artlines/Public Poetry in Houston headed by Fran Sanders and co-sponsored by the Museum of Fine Arts-Houston (MFAH).  It was judged by the current Texas Poet Laureate, Jan Seale, as well as two former Laureates, Dave Parsons and Paul Ruffin, together with well know Texas poets, Carmen Tafolla, and Van G. Garrett.  The reading by all nine contest winners (one for each artwork) was held in Brown Auditorium at the MFAH. Each poem was recorded and is available to listen on the cell phone tour for visitors of the MFAH.  The reading in Brown Auditorium was video- taped for educational classes to use in the Kinder Education Center.   

Adamarie Fuller was selected for her poem Allegory of Eurozone – 2011, a poetic description of Jean-Baptiste Oudry’s Allegory of Europe, 1722, oil on canvas, found at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Jean-Baptiste Oudry, Allegory of Europe, 1722, oil on canvas, Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation, Houston,.1987.2. Museum of Fine Arts Houston

Allegory of Eurozone - 2011

In response to Allegory of Europe by Jean-Baptiste Oudry (Museum of Fine Arts Houston)

Jean, may I call you Jean? Your painting is quite witty,

but I must say more prophetic than you knew.

Greece still stands, a mere pebble from the old quarry,

looking askance of its neighbors, pretending all is well;

Athena should weep marble tears.

And Italy - how clever of you to dress him with a belt

yet no pants (we’ve all seen the videos).  While Rome’s

bond brokers begin to melt, he scampers off to another tune.

The UK lies there, a deflated bag of wind.  Bankers with manners

but no morals, know they have nothing to add, and so

lounge, limp and gasping. 

Even Spain, that gilt land of summer sunshine

for winter tourists, has bet its favorite flamenco guitar

for a last chance at a good hand.

The bright blue and red bird, your happy France, looks over all,

pondering its situation - stay to feed on gleanings of others,

or fly away to its well-appointed nest in the high tree.

All the while, Germany’s Alpine flute, silent as a snake,

lies in wait to strike; the Euro transmogrified from antidote,

into venom - ready to be served to all.

Oh Jean, droll and clever as you might have been,

the prophecy of your painting is painful to view.

Adamarie Fuller

Adamarie Fuller is also a member of Net Poets Society and has been a featured reader at Friendswood Public Library Poetry Series readings.  We look forward to having Adamarie Fuller back to read.  Also look for more poetry from Adamarie Fuller here at from the reference desk.

Other Poems by Adamarie Fuller:

 

Farm Life

Change of Life