When Van Gogh Died by Mark Tulin

I’m pleased to be a part of The Emblazoned Soul’s Rise Again Edition. Featured image by Mark Tulin.

When Van Gogh Died
By Mark Tulin


What went wrong when Van Gogh died?
Why didn’t we listen
when he tried to help us
see the world differently—
and we refused?

Could our perceptions be muted
by technology and the need
for comfort
instead of rising
in the creative spirit?

Is innovative art a threat
to all of those who want to fit in,
happy to follow the overused
and the tiresome?

Will our freedom to explore,
be lost and ignored
as generations pass
in words written in cliche?

Will there ever be a time when we
don't follow the protocol, instead of
plagiarizing those we admire
from books and on social media?

Or did the world stop breathing
once Van Gogh died—
and the colors of the cafes and landscapes
turned dark and dreary?