Day two began with a change of plans. We decided rather than drive to Tiffin and spend a day in Columbus on Friday, we would meet the Truffins in Columbus and get back in time for Todd's doubles at the Tiffin course.
In addition to my chimerical goal to play disc golf in all fifty states, I have a slightly less obsessive one to track down all the Artemisia Gentileschi on public display. So we met the Truffins at noon at the Columbus Museum of Art, which holds Artemisia's David and Bathsheba (1651).
The painting was a good one, but it was a bit harder to warm up to than some of her others. Perhaps it was the outdoor setting--certainly the museum had it in a room that was a bit too small, making it hard to take in the painting whole without a bad glare on one part. (The reproduction linked above is a poor one, but what can you do?)
I wrote a poem that got me paid a dollar for being reprinted in an art journal after seeing my first Artemisia, so my tradition is to write a poem for each new painting of hers I see. (I don't normally write poetry, but this is a nice exercise.) Here's my poem about this one:
"On Viewing Artemisia Gentileschi's David and Bathsheba at the Columbus Museum of Art (July 12, 2007)"
When did you know something was wrong?
Did others go before you to prepare the way that was not so clear?
Or did you forge ahead,
Oblivious to the flaccid foundations of your fragile refuge?
Did your women's intuition--that Biblical Spidey Sense--tingle,
Telling you it wasn't alright,
When all the powers of earth and heaven said that it was?
Did your fear recede when you knew it was him?
A friend of the family.
Trusted.
Or did you sense even then the shadow of lust he hid even from himself?
Did you grow to love him as love grew inside you?
What shadow passed between you and your father,
As you were punished for his sin?
You will never be alone again.
History will absolve but never clothe you.
Blessed be the man who need never face
The torturous peril
Of a solitary woman
Taking a bath.
*****************************************************
After a nice lunch (and a pile of nachos higher than my head), we made our way to Tiffin and did manage to venture out for the Thursday night doubles. It's always weird being the new guy at club doubles as people don't know whether to be happy or sad they drew you. I exonerated myself nicely, shooting -4 with my partner (winning number was -8), dropping in several long chip shots and putts to keep us in the running with the other group up to the very last hole.
The course was a bit long and open--in other words, it didn't play to my strengths, but I had fun with it, throwing a thumber approach on one hole and a roller on another drive to net a 300 foot plus deuce.
Tomorrow it appears that we will stick around Tiffin, so maybe I'll play the course again.
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