Poetry is the tongue of the poor, 1969
Record number
cm000072
Title
Poetry is the tongue of the poor
Date
1969
Medium
conté
Support
paper
Dimensions
1613 x 555 mm
Inscriptions
Peter Hooper Poetry is for Peasants / from Journey towards an Elegy. (pencil, b.l.); Colin McCahon Sept 25 - '69 (pencil, b.r.)
Collection
Credit line
on loan from a private collection
Accession number
L1998/28/43
Extended inscriptions
Poetry is the / tongue of the / poor / whose minds are / in their hands / and who speak / thorough their fingers / Only when the feet and / hands / know the earth / in agony & joy / can the mind be nourished / on beautiful words.
Poetry is for peasants / on whose dark blood / float leaves and petals / from the tree of life.
Exhibition history
1969 Written paintings and drawings: Colin McCahon
Barry Lett Galleries
Auckland
6/10/1969 - 17/10/1969
Notes
The text is from Peter Hooper's poem 'Poetry is for peasants', from Journey towards an elegy and other poems (Nag's Head Press, Christchurch, 1969).