Poster Image
$20
Item#: 2007SYR07
Purchase Details
11x17-inches, printed on heavy weight (100-pound) Hammermill cover paper. We package each print with a piece of chipboard in a clear plastic sleeve.
You also receive…
An information page with photos of the artist and poet, and hand-written comments from each.
Medium- and large-format posters are available by custom order. Contact us for details.
Poem Inspiration Location
Lunchtime on a Bench
poster information
Description
Lunchtime on a bench
in Hanover Square—hot dog
mustard hits my shoe
For me, this haiku evolved out of a warm, breezy thought—the idea of escaping the office and enjoying a splendid Syracuse afternoon, relaxing downtown on a bench during lunch.
However, even such a fortunate moment can be sabotaged by an unforeseen mishap. Wrestling with a hot dog can always prove challenging—and this instance was no exception. Plop goes the mustard and there goes the idyllic outdoor dining experience. Thoughts race through a now troubled mind: Does anyone have a napkin? What else will the mustard smear? Is it on my shirt...pants? Will someone else step in the splatter?
Then again, there could be benefits: perhaps the mustard will cover an old catsup stain, or maybe the hot dog will be tastier without that big glob of mustard. And, hey, at least it wasn't chili sauce or sauerkraut.
I don't have much of Hanover Square in my painting, but you can see the buildings in the background. The square has a pleasant atmosphere, the buildings are colorful, the fountain is nice, and the area has its own quiet personality.
I had never been to Hanover Square until this project. I went with my friend, Hank. We owed each other a favor, because the night before he used me as a photo reference. So I said, “How about I use you?” We headed out early in the morning and had the square almost to ourselves.
I'll admit we didn't have an actual hotdog, so we made a makeshift one, using a roll. It was a nice day and we had good light for pictures. Afterwards, we gave the bread to the birds so they could enjoy a nice breakfast.