Marco Polo Poems

Selected poems based on the paintings of Nora Sturges

“Marco Polo’s Travels,” a series of paintings by Nora Sturges that depict contemporary versions of history’s famous voyager in surprising or fantastical settings, may be viewed here.

According to the artist, “The series was originally inspired by the narrative structure and subject matter of Italo Calvino’s novel Invisible Cities, in which a fictitious Marco Polo describes to the Kublai Khan all the cities he has visited on his travels. The series then grew to encompass personal experience of travel and cultural displacement, as well as ideas taken from the actual Travels of Marco Polo, a book with many contemporary parallels.”

I’m grateful to Nora Sturges for her support and encouragement of the project.

From a Son of Marco Polo in the Village of Blue People Iowa Review

Marco Polo’s Sleeve Unravels Unsplendid

Marco Polo Welcomed at Moriana Unsplendid

Nothing Occurs Here That Is Worthy of Remark Unsplendid

Marco Polo Watches Blue People The Common

Marco Polo Shopping The Common

Marco Polo, Cold and Wet The Common

Marco Polo Writes in His Journal Avatar Review

Marco Polo Avoids a Naked Man Avatar Review

Marco Polo Gets a Blister from New Shoes Avatar Review

Marco Polo Sightseeing Avatar Review