A Painter's Poems

A Painter?s Poems comprises poetry that Pratt has written over the past 50 years, echoing his career as a painter. They are autobiographical ?pages from a diary.? They respond to encounters with people, places, and events that have had particular significance and impact on his working life. "My poetry is a personal exorcism; I am aware that exorcism is not always ?art.' It is a self-portrait, random pages from a ?diary? in code, and portraits of others, friends, anonymous, given the protection of pronouns. I use simple language: some poetry glitters and illuminates like a foyer chandelier; I think mine as a single light bulb in a porch." - Christopher Pratt 1999