A Painter's Holiday by Bliss Carman
The poem explores the idea of a painter taking a holiday from his work to escape the monotony and stress of city life. The painter seeks solace in nature, finding inspiration in the beauty of the landscape and the freedom to create without the constraints of urban living. Through vivid imagery and evocative language, Carman captures the sense of liberation and joy that comes from immersing oneself in the natural world.
By Bliss Carman · First published 1894 · Genre: Travel, Non-Fiction, Autobiography · 787 words
First lines
We painters sometimes strangely keep These holidays. When life runs deep And broad and strong, it comes to make Its own bright-colored almanack. Impulse and incident divine Must find their way through tone and line; The throb of color and the dream Of beauty, giving art its theme From dear life's daily miracle, Illume the artist's life as well. A bird-note, or a turning leaf, The first white fall of snow, a brief Wild song from the Anthology, A smile, or a girl's kindling eye, -- And there is worth enough for him To make the page of history dim. Who knows upon what day may come The touch of that delirium Which lifts plain life to the divine, And teaches hand the magic line No cunning rule could ever reach, Where Soul's necessities find speech? None knows how rapture may arrive To be our helper, and survive Through our essay to help in turn All starving eager souls who yearn Lightward discouraged and distraught. Ah, once art's gleam of glory caught And treasured in the heart, how then We walk enchanted among men, And with the elder gods confer! So art is hope's interpreter, And with devotion must conspire To fan the eternal altar fire. Wherefore you find me here to-day, Not idling the good hours away, But picturing a magic hour With its replenishment of power.
What this Textopian page supports
A Painter's Holiday is listed on Textopian as a poem by Bliss Carman, dated 1894 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Bliss Carman
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Travel, Non-Fiction, Autobiography, Art
- Length: 787 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Painter's Holiday by Bliss Carman
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Painter's Holiday?
- How does this poem by Bliss Carman fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Travel first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Travel — The book is a journal of Bliss Carman's travels during his holidays, recounting the places he visited and the experiences he had.
- Non-Fiction — The book covers real life experiences of the author, as he describes his travels in a factual manner.
- Autobiography — The book is a first person narrative providing insight into the author's personal life experiences during his holidays.
- Art — As the title suggests, the author being a painter, his observations and descriptions reflect artistic nuances.
Tags
Holiday · travel · art · painting · inspiration · nature · landscape · sea · beach · summer · vacation · relaxation