Sidelong

First photographic portrait image of a human produced in America.

“Robert Cornelius, head-and-shoulders self-portrait, facing front, with arms crossed”, approximate quarter plate daguerreotype, 1839 [Oct. or Nov.]. LC-USZC4-5001 DLC United States Library of Congress

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Sidelong

Robert Cornelius remains skeptical.
He does not trust that it will work,
or that a specific future develops
when this image will be visible.

He does not pause to comb his hair
or consider us, but guards himself
against the possible exposure,
against the theft, of unmarshalled spirit.

Slow counting silent hesitation,
he glances sidelong from 1839,
doubtful of our existence,
his focus on what he next intends.

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Klein

Still experimenting with work for the ‘subjects, objects, verbs’ photo-poetry project – albeit at a glacial pace!

Here are two draft layouts about Bob Leeson (click images to enlarge). Working towards somewhere with these, but not sure where I’m heading yet..!

The poem in the second layout is titled ‘Klein’ and the text of this is also included below.