The Louvre is over-rated it’s just not my cup of tea
The Pharaoh’s gear is awesome but the rest’s vacuity;
From Mona Lisa’s stamp-size frame to dorks in battle trounced
And weirdly outsized saintly sorts whose names I can’t pronounce
I much prefer the action on the counter-facing quai
Just straight across the Pont Royal to the Musée d’Orsay;
Perhaps it’s that I’m plebeian (sans-grade in Bourgeoisie)
The artists who real truths pursue are those I want to see.
More dirt under their fingernails than all their studio peers
These chaps just took their work outdoors in spite of other’s jeers;
With Nature’s inspiration under Heaven’s candid light
They set new standards, studies, styles, all unsurpassed delights.
I hail Van Gogh, Monet, Cézanne and all their splendid oeuvre
Who live across the river from the pompous, lofty Louvre.
Fugitive Fragments 
Proportions and perspective in Van Gogh paintings are perfect–have you noticed? Van Gogh fully deserves his fame. To me, there’s a bit of national pride involved too ;))
He is indeed deeper even than his works show – he also had remarkable insight (as quoted all over the interweb). You have every right to associate yourself with a special pride, we Irish do it with our poets 😀
😉
Wonderful post!
So glad you enjoyed it – thank you.
I am so late coming to this blog. My loss, Mike! What a vibrant, laid back, solid, invigorating poet you are. And you have this wonderful, lively neighbourhood of readers.
Now that I’m following, I look forward to your posts and the great conversations you enjoy with your readers. (…and, of course, huge thanks for your presence at Oceantics.) Warmest regards from Canada!
Delighted to have you on board Elaine as I already am a fanboy of yours. Thank you for your warm and generous greeting.
I’m agreeing with you. Musee D’Orsay over Le Louvre any day. xo The Impressionists are my favourite and you depicted Le Louvre exactly as I saw it! Loved this.
I sensed a kindred spirit when I first read your work so long ago Chrissy – thank you for validating both it and this poem 😀
My pleasure! xo
Yes there are a lot to think about the big classical museums… Museums are interesting but the crowds are not.. Loved Van Gogh museum (Amsterdam) and the Munch Museum in Oslo.. what I liked best in Louvern was the sculptures actually.. less crowded, modern .. it felt like a place to sit down with a good book in company of marble…
It’s interesting that you’re the second person to mention the crowds. Here’s a tip, I took advantage of the late opening on Friday nights and didn’t have that problem at all. I love Munch and expect to be passing through Oslo in 2016 so he’s on my agenda. Interesting observations Björn – tack så mycket.
The worst thing about the Louvre is the tourists. The best is maybe the gardens. Those mammoth holy pictures give me the pip too, but if you rummage you can find some gems. Just like there’s some very uninteresting Impressionist stuff. I loved the Musée d’Orsay. The building helps a lot. You don’t have the impression Louis XIV and a flock of courtiers are going to sweep through the next double doors.
Spoken like a local Jane – your insight française tempered with levity Irelandais adds greatly to the topic. Merci bien.
Are we not the locals everywhere?
Only worldwide 😀
Well Mike I think a lot of things. I love the photo your chose for this and also your comments about The Louvre being “over-rated.” I find that a lot of things in life are like this over-rated and get our expectations up too high. I think just experiencing the fact of standing in front of such a thing would be awesome enough for me. I never go anywhere so I loved your piece. That is the thing about WP that I love from my home I can experience such things through the eyes of another and I simply love it! Makes me smile! Let me see where else you have been. 😀
I agree with you about seeing the world through WordPress MichelleMarie, something that I benefit from myself. Thank you for this lovely contribution.
Good rhythm here, Mike. This poem makes me want to grab one of my instruments, craft a lil melody & sing it. 😆
By all means! Billboard Top Ten here we come 😀
Travel blog critique through poetry.
Very well done, Mike. 🙂
I’ve never visited the Louvre so I can’t say whether I agree or disagree.
I have visited most of the major art galleries in London which I absolutely loved.
And an artist (whose opinion I very much respect) told me that he preferred the paintings he saw in the major art galleries of London to the paintings he saw in the Louvre.
Your friend has it right DVH, most paintings in the Louvre are flat 2D religious studio pieces and I agree with you about the UK scene – it pushes the envelope. Many thanks for this contribution to the theme.
We lose ourselves in an artist’s gallery trying to understand their amazing talent and leave feeling fulfilled and unworthy. Just as I do with your poetry, Michael. Gorgeous.
So encouraging Audrey Dawn and a lovely simile to boot. My greatest thanks.
Or “bohemian” even!
L’esprit d’escalier:
All hail Bohemianism! Huzzah!
(Further reading: “Status Anxiety”, Alain de Botton (2005), SOLUTIONS, Chapter V. Bohemia)
A well spoken sentiment with which i heartily concur.
Vincent, Claude, Paul & I thank you for this affirmation Alex 😉
Great rhythmn running through this one. And well said too!
Thank you Michael, I think the rhythm happens when I get all hot’n’bothered about something 😀
This sounds so bomemian ! 😉 However , those are my favourite painters . 🙂
We’re kindred spirits eT. Yunno at the time the Pope threatened to excommunicate painters who abandoned religious art! How little has changed 😀
Sing It!!!
Can’t – I’m under contract to the Moulin Rouge 😮
Beautiful! I’ve seen the ‘other’ Starry Night, “Starry Night Over the Rhone” (1888) and personally prefer it but McLean takes the credit for putting the artist back on the map. Thanks Slayer.
You’re far more worldly than I am, Mike. I’ve been to neither the Louvre or the Musée d’Orsay and so am envious on both counts!
No LI, I’m just a pleb (as the poem says) who comes from a neighbouring country 😀 Thanks for reading.
The Mike is safe in your hands . . . erm . . . er . . . mic.
You wear your Pleb Badge with pride. The deeper implication is that you are half-Ancient Roman. Furthermore, plebianisim is eminently preferable to bourgeoism.
Above all, stay classy.
It was a pleasure stopping by.