“I offer these poems to you as a celebration and tribute to my long-time artistic heroine and sister in pain – Frida Kahlo.”
The Mask, by Elisabeth Horan, is a collection of twenty-one poems, each inspired by a painting by the Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo. They are written mostly in English but with a smattering of what I assume is Spanish. Rather than detract from understanding, this bilingualism adds a flavour of intimacy. And the poems are deeply intimate, with many exploring the artist’s experiences during sexual activity – with others and when alone. She took both male and female lovers, seeking pleasure for herself above servicing their needs.
“I will be held. I will be touched.
I will die – on my own terms.”
The poems ooze both sexuality and sensuality yet, despite being vivid and explicit, this is never voyeuristic. What is being offered is a rare women’s perspective on foreplay and orgasm.
Kahlo’s life was shadowed by pain following childhood illness and then an horrific road traffic accident when a teenager. Along with her physical difficulties, she experienced miscarriage. Within these poems she is portrayed as unafraid to talk openly about such experiences, however men may try to encourage a quieter stoicism.
“My anger stare – my lack of emotion, at this point in my life –
Is not for your pleasure… it is not for the men;Rather, the necessary steps I must take
To show women
The face of my suffering”
Occasionally the poems are written as though Kahlo is speaking directly to the author, adding to the personal evocation.
Recurring subjects touched on include: love, lovemaking, the pain of infidelity, child loss, the deformed body.
“To have had a child; to have kept my toes
Intact, my uterus intact; I would have had to
Praise the easel of a man”
Kahlo is depicted as strong in her principles even if not physically.
“I am not a thing to fuck
Without consequence”
There is a strong sense that the men in the artist’s life let her down, especially during times of crisis and loss.
“To touch and to love each other
Not turn away
As the other burns”
Kahlo does not appear to have adhered to the quietly accepting servitude some regard as a necessary aspect of being feminine.
Other than a vague familiarity with her painting style, I knew little about Kahlo before reading this collection. Having finished it I did some superficial research, gaining a very different, less positive, impression of the woman from that presented here. I pondered if this may be the view from a male gaze. It is still so rare for a woman to be accepted and admired when living on her own terms.
“I want the voices
to cease
shushing me”
These poems are thought provoking and interesting for the lens through which they present a woman who was a success in her chosen field but whose personal life was messy, albeit no more than many feted men. The author presents her as a woman whose myriad sufferings did not prevent her from seeking and expecting sexual excitement and satisfaction, someone who resented the lack of support she received at times of loss or pain from those who still expected her to cater to their needs.
I am grateful that this accessible collection was brought to my attention. Written with skill, verve and an obvious admiration, it proved a fascinating read.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, The Broken Spine.
neverimitate 