This painting, "Orange Hat" by Alex Katz, is like a poem for me. The painting does not show the rest of the woman's face, which means the viewers have to fill in the rest with their imagination. In this way, I could see this painting influencing a poet. The poetry would speak about some subject, but leave the meaning of the subject or poem, the purpose of it, to the reader's imagination. This way, the poem can affect many more people, because it becomes personal, its meaning drawn from the individual's experiences and memories. The painting is also bold, with bright colors in contrasting shades. This suggests the form or appearance of the poem, free verse most likely, with non-linear or irregular stanzas and line spacing. The poem would be bold, eye catching, and unashamed to speak directly to the reader. But the fact that the woman's face is half blocked means that the poem would keep some of its secrets to itself, not sharing more than it must to convey the impression only of beauty and meaning. Also, since the background is a blank, merely hinting at some outdoor setting, likewise the setting or staging of the poem is meaningless. The poem should not be able to be attributed to a specific place or time, but rather be universally applicable.
