The Starry Night
That does not keep me from having a terrible need of — shall I say the word — religion. Then I go out at night to paint the stars. — Vincent Van Gogh in a letter to his brother
The town does not exist
except where one black-haired tree slips
up like a drowned woman into the hot sky.
The town is silent. The night boils with eleven stars.
Oh starry night! This is how
I want to die.
It moves. They are all alive.
Even the moon bulges in its orange irons
to push children, like a god, from its eye.
The old unseen serpent swallows up the stars.
Oh starry starry night! This is how
I want to die:
into that rushing beast of the night,
sucked up by that great dragon, to split
from my life with no flag,
no belly,
no cry.
poem by Anne Sexton
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
Vote! | Copy! | In Romanian
Related quotes
When I have a terrible need of - shall I say the word - religion. Then I go out and paint the stars.
quote by Vincent Van Gogh
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Lust for Perfection! ! ! ! ! !
Enraptured by the mystic starry sky
Vincent so desperately wanted to try,
To paint this enchanting twilight scene,
But how, Colours in that light couldn’t be seen.
He longed to paint on the spot at night,
What he saw, as he saw without artificial light.
‘Night is more richly coloured than day
Putting little white dots on a black surface, no way'
Struck by brilliance of stars on closer attention
And his zest and lust and passion for perfection,
A legend goes in rural areas of south of France,
He put candles in the felt hat to capture and paint.
Thus the locals gave him a name, illumine
French word meaning lit up and delusive.
Couldn’t care less, night to be painted on the spot
Settled for a gas jet after pondering a lot
The painting depicts a religious motif of youth.
To assuage his thirst for the Absolute
‘I just paint nature as it seems to me, complete
All we have to do is unravel the mystery…’
A tribute to Vincent Van Gogh, Impressionist painter, best known for Sun Flowers.
Starry Night is a fascinating work, as is his passion.
poem by Mamta Agarwal
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Of my own work I think that the picture of peasants eating potatoes I did in Nuenen is after all the best I've done.
Vincent van Gogh in letter to Wilhelmina van Gogh (1887)
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
Vote! | Copy! | In Spanish | In Italian | In Romanian
If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.
quote by Vincent van Gogh
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy! | In Romanian
If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.
quote by Vincent Van Gogh
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.
quote by Vincent Van Gogh
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
I confess I do not know why, but looking at the stars always makes me dream.
quote by Vincent Van Gogh
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy! | In Romanian
For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.
quote by Vincent Van Gogh
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy! | In Romanian
I dream of painting and then I paint my dream.
quote by Vincent Van Gogh
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Paint The Sky With Stars
Suddenly before my eyes
Hues of indigo rise
With them how my spirit sighs
Paint the sky with stars
Only night will ever know
Why the heavens never show
All the dreams there are to know
Paint the sky with stars
Who has paced the mightnight sky
So a spirit has to fly
As the heavens seem so far
Now who will paint the midnight star?
Night has brought to those who sleep
Only dreams they cannot keep
I have legends in the deep
Paint the sky with stars
Who has paced the midnight sky
So a spirit has to fly
As the heaven seem so far
Now who will paint the midnight star?
Place a name upon the night
One to set your heart alight
And to make the darkness bright
Paint the sky with stars
song performed by by Enya
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.
quote by Vincent Van Gogh
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Sitting by bonfire! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Sitting by bonfire…
Sitting on a December night by the bonfire
Glanced up and saw stars sparkle like sapphires.
Sparks were rising up like glow worms; why
At that moment flashed across my mind’s eye
Vincent Van Gogh’s famous painting ‘Starry Night’.
How restless he felt about getting it somehow right.
Silently contemplating nature with a painter’s eye,
He felt compelled and determined to give it a try.
The thought for long haunted and preoccupied his mind.
To the mystery and essence of night, in spirit aligned.
Finally he decided to paint it on the spot by the river at night.
Excited to paint under the moon, stars, a little artificial light.
Lo, what you see is a painting of night not dark or black.
Done with beautiful blue, violet, and green to illuminate.
He singled out colours that would express what he felt.
Blend of serenity and dizziness and what to him it meant.
Thus he was able to attain the mystic dream of youth.
Through painting to assuage his thirst for the truth.
It became an act of faith, in a state of meditation.
I reflected, is art an effective path for salvation…
What leads to this slow and sure transformation of man,
Into an artist, musician and a poet- is it Creator’s plan...
Does the intensity, seclusion lead some to brink of insanity.
As I had in my teens read his tragic and sad biography.
Do we live in chains and prisons of our own making?
Does it have to do with events beyond control; destiny?
Aware of his fractured psyche, calmly told his brother Theo;
One lesson I have learnt is not ever to complain for sure.
My eyes drifted to dying ambers, just when my son asked me;
Would you like me to add more logs; came out of my reverie.
We walked on the gravel path towards the lodge in silence.
He said Mom; should spend more time in Sunshine, with nonchalance...
poem by Mamta Agarwal
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Art Encompassed
Michelangelo carved poetry
into purest marble
painted it across ceiling
of adorned Sistine Chapel.
Leonardo Da Vinci
cunningly imprisoned it
within magnetic eyes
of portrait Mona Lisa.
Vincent Van Gogh ground pigment
mixed fresco artistic paint
then splashed poetry upon heaven’s
eternal Starry Starry Night.
poem by Terence George Craddock
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Starry Night
When the night falls in your small room
Nothing seen but the dark and the air becomes chill
Everybody has turned asleep
Leaving the blue mountain bored and lonely
Look at your window, the moon calls
There is stars bloom in the dark sky
Giving a hazy sight of the imaginary city
The tall tree is now awaking
When the cold rigid line blurred into waving hands ready to dance
And city lights accompany you to sing a long the midnight
Even the scary darkness drunken in the party
Marching the clouds around the stars and moon
Inspired by Starry Night, Vincent van Gogh
poem by Maria Sudibyo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Sunflowers After Sex.
After the sex she stood
In front of the Van Gogh
Painting and gazed. Never
Saw that last night, she said.
It was dark, Max replied.
She touched the painting
With her fingers. Why have
A painting of flowers when
You can go out and buy some?
She asked. They last longer this
Way, he replied. So did you
Paint this? She asked in a state
Of semi undress, her eyes sleepy,
Her hair in a mess. No, Van Gogh
Did, he replied. Is he a friend of
Yours? She asked rubbing her breasts.
He sighed and shook his head. No,
Van Gogh painted that many years
Ago, now he’s dead. It’s a bit yellow,
She said, looking at the painting
Closer, what are those yellow flowers
Supposed to be? Sunflowers, he said,
They’re big flowers; people grow them
For real. She raised her eyebrows and
Pulled a face. What about that drink?
She asked. Sure, Max replied pouring
Her gin in a tall glass. She took, sipped
And winked an eye. What about more
Sex? She sighed. Sure, Max, looking at
Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, boringly replied.
poem by Terry Collett
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
I wish they would only take me as I am.
quote by Vincent Van Gogh
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy! | In Romanian
I am still far from being what I want to be, but with God's help I shall succeed.
quote by Vincent Van Gogh
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Conscience is a man's compass.
quote by Vincent Van Gogh
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
But I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things.
quote by Vincent Van Gogh
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
How can I be useful, of what service can I be There is something inside me, what can it be
quote by Vincent Van Gogh
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy! | In Romanian