ON A CONTROVERSIAL PIECE OF ART    11-5-2001

a work of art created in the spirit of 
the avant-garde
glaringly displayed 
now the subject of meticulous examination 
from men and women of critical taste 
who examine this piece of artistic intent 
less as artistic appreciators 
but more with the cold calculating gaze 
of an engineer evaluating a finished 
piece of machinery

and a debate among the viewers flares 
as to whether this object 
corresponding to no conventional reference 
possesses any sense of beauty 
or is an abomination in the ugly 
the product of a bizarre mind compelled 
to express his feelings at any cost

its very creation was meant to produce 
ripples if not a torrent of controversy 
and shock
challenging the eye/mind sophisticated 
or not to see for themselves and draw 
their own conclusions as to whether this 
work of art is meritorious or not

a portrait of the virgin mary, new york 
housed in a frame of elephant dung 
some say "beautiful" 
other consider it blasphemous and a blight 
on the name of the holy

whose opinion is right? 
is this art? 
what is art anyway?

one man, deeply roman catholic was stopped 
short in an attempt to destroy it in 
the name of god

what power this piece of creation
must have had to ignite such furious reaction!

the true beauty of this work is the fact
that by generating intense controversy

it more than well served its purpose 
and doing so to the point of generating 
even official wrath 
became a memorable success ...