In the breeze of spring,
on spreadsheet wings
accountants balance
asset numbers,
soar on credit wind,
just before
the tax-collector cast
his debit-net
to pull us deeper
deeper
deeper
into depth
and fore-
closure death.

Rene Magritte
Today Melissa hosts dVerse Poetics where she asks us to write a poem inspired by the art of René Magritte who is most well-known for his surrealistic paintings.
March 19, 2023
Clever wordplay! I like this!
~David
Thanks… had fun with this.
I just did our taxes and this resonates with me. Deeper and down the numbers we go on the spreadsheet.
I do not envy you…. ours are usually very easy since the governement already knows everything we more or less just check it and sign it… and pay what is due (if applicable)
We chose the same image and I really enjoyed your End of Fiscal Year, Björn, especially the numbers soaring on credit wind and the tax-collector’s debit-net. I’m lucky to have a brother-in-law who is an accountant.
My brother in law is also an accountant… but usually I do not need him that much.
You nailed it! Perfect poem to accompany the picture.
Clever! Spreadsheets give them wings! (As in the commercials for Red Bull🤭) You’ve turned those men in bowler hats very ominous, what with debit-nets and foreclosure death.💀
Or are they the poor accountants trying to keep us afloat.
Or that!
Clever metaphor, Björn. They do look like they could be accountants.
My first thought.
Nice one Björn
much♡love
Thank you
This is a such a clever write – giving a poetic twist to something so very exhausting every year. Hope you are well Bjorn.
Hello Abhra and so nice to see you back for a visit… I hope my comment was visible for you, but I really enjoyed your poem
Hi Bjorn, Thank you – yes I can see your comment. Sorry I shifted from wordpress to Medium a while back and I posted a private link instead of public link on Linky, so I had to link again. I will try to join more often.
great
Great minds think alike–in image selection! Love how you tied it to the tedium of accounting and taxes!
We selected that one like most others…. and yes I saw accountants….
A very interesting take on the painting!
Thank you… it was fun to write
You are welcome. His paintings were very unusual.
Exactly like accountants (and taxes…) (K)
A delicate balance
After your words, the. men appear almost as if hanging in midair. The suffocation of the season. I feel it, friend.
They hang on their balance sheet.
Deeper, deeper, deeper, into the picture deeper they go. Great!!
..
and att the bottom lies the debt
Accountants always symbolise faceless, pityless bureaucracy. I wonder if it’s fair?
My brothe in law is an accountant… and no it’s not true
Such a clever take on the prompt. I enjoyed it a lot.
Thank you
CLEVER use of the painting here….yep —- figuring the taxes…the accountant always staring at numbers…I an see this in this painting now. I was late to the pub….but saw something entirely different — proving again as Kim said, ekphrastic poetry is fascinating in terms of the diverse views one takes from the same image!
Accountants need their spreadsheet wings
Your poem is “smart” in the best sense of that accolade! Perfectly paired with the painting.
Thank you… they look like accountants falling.
It’s raining taxmen – and what a great way to interpret the painting. Good fun.
I am not sure the weather girls would have sung that 🙂
You’ve given this poem a very realistic touch.
Thank you
You’re welcome
Clever poem that is so apt for the painting. Death and taxes the only certainty in life it’s just what we make of it inbetween.
Between birth and death we are mostly pushing money…
Hi Bjorn, a great take. As a chartered accountant who is just finishing busy season with all our bank audits, I did not want to write about this picture which also reminds me of deadlines and taxes.
Ha… I can understand that.
You tell it true, accountants rule the earth and sky.
So amazing how different we all see the same painting. As a former accountant, I enjoyed this, as much for your words as for knowing I don’t have to deal with those numbers anymore.
So witty. An intelligent poem — is that harder when you accept a challenge or when you just do your own thing?
Oh now that was just brilliant. Can you be my accounting professor please 😅
Love your take, Björn! March is the month when we get all our accounts in order to file income tax returns. Thanks for this clever reminder! 😅
Here as well, but it is usually easier…
Here it is so complicated that one cannot do it without the help of accountants.