The Heart of it All

 

Despite the glare, you can get the idea. Still need to add Support and Friendship on the bottom and treasure chest illustration. Plus, words for each corner. Almost there. This week is supposed to be killer cold each night, and my new little space heater is not really  making a difference. So, gloves and hat it will be.

Three of my Poems

Today I'm posting three poems that were all written earlier this year. My idea regarding my 'coffee table book' was originally to combine both my artwork and my poetry together visually. So far, I have only been able to do this in a few instances. So what I've decided to do is post my written work here-directly on my blog, and figure out later what visuals will accompany them. Sometimes when I am writing, the painting or pastel or collage has already been born, and my writing flows specific to the existing visuals Sometimes it is the other way around. The feeling takes over in the form of words, and the picture is created in the mind after the letters take shape in my verses.

This first poem is an acrostic. Acrostic poetry uses a word, or a phrase, and each letter of the word or phrase refers back to, or helps to 'tell the story' of the word or phrase. I posted "Unrequited", which was both a visual and written work of art by yours truly, and an acrostic.  This one is inspired by Friendship.

Feeling hope, joy and kindness in unison

Rays of warm connectivity bind

Insightful and shared visions of life.
Everlasting memory of happy camaraderie
Now a reminder of forgotten bliss, reawakened while I’m
Doing the creative work of love.



The next one was a contest entry and a response to the following prompt:

Prompt : "Wearing a mask...is so much the rule and the law among men that there is almost nothing which is less comprehensible than how an honest and pure drive for truth could have arisen among them. They are deeply immersed in illusions and in dream images; their eyes merely glide over the surface of things and see 'forms.'" ~ Friedrich Nietzsche


Intoxicated Devotion

Such an unhappy one he has been lately;
Brooding all the time about the love he thinks he’s lost.
Eyes cold blue, like frozen metal, burn her with accusation.
And although she has repeatedly asked him to come to his senses,
He cannot let it go. The form of her, he knows he’d seen that night.

Was it not her (his memory is her scent, permeating the space all around) at the tavern, sipping enthusiasm and feigning attentiveness?
Was it not her (he’d recognize that sing-song laugh anywhere) who accepted the token convenience store bought rose?
Was it not her (he knows the shape of her body, the flow of her hair down her back) who danced so tenuously, held in the arms of a man half his age?

It may be the whisky, strong and cut-throat, that blurs the vision of reality,

Making tainted reasoning his only truth.

Blaming makes it easier to accept that his true love beckons from the glass,

Teasing him to taste her whole.

While maudlin sentimentality warps true memory,

to favor a rose colored history.


And the last poem for today is one that I wrote back in January. It simply describes where I get some of the best inspiration - from within.

Inspiration

When the heart calls out –

silent screaming.

unnatural feeling,

wanting;
waiting in longing.

When the soul connects to
the unseen and yet felt –
there is quiet knowing,
emotions reeling;
Desire.

Waiting for another chance
to love
Myself.

So what did you think?  I always welcome constructive criticism, both on my artwork and poetry. I'm interested in learning more about technique -written and visual- because I've come to understand that my creative journey is a constantly shifting and expanding process. It is amazing to me how many people out there not only do ' a little something' to further their art everyday, but also write and/or journal daily. My favorite blogs tend to be those that incorporate both things - in the form of art journalling.
Do you have any favorite blogs that I should check out?

be a dog

In this hustle bustle time of the holidays that we all (hopefully) just survived, I often find that in addition to the friendly banter that includes the “how’s your family?” “how’s your job?” and “What’ re you doing to celebrate the holidays?” line of chat, I tend to be a bit more open to, and for, others.  I think that in addition to a constant reflection of the year that is almost over, and anticipating the new one ahead, I feel a sort of openness to people. Maybe it’s just the basic desire to ‘be nice’ around the holidays…ya know - go the extra mile, smile instead of snarl, bite your tongue, smile and nod…that kind of thing. But maybe also, this “good will toward humans” feeling lends itself to being more ‘real’. Probably the best way for me to describe this, is when I ask someone “How are you?” and they honestly tell me more than I expected - they give more than the ‘pat’ answer, they shine a light on how they really live their life, tell me what they’re feeling about something that’s happening with them – a connection that didn’t exist before is created, and the person makes themselves more visible to me as an individual. That’s a pretty cool thing. It is always refreshing to me when people can ‘let go’ a little more than usual for the holidays, in an effort to enjoy what I think most of us recognize as a potentially joyful season.

The flip side of this is anticipating reciprocity. I ask you a question or two and listen; you ask me one or two - and listen. But, that doesn’t always happen. Some folks, whether it’s holiday time or not, are either not socially equipped for that kind of give & take, or just can’t get past their own ‘stuff’ to really give a damn one way or another (no matter how much they protest to the contrary). When this happened to me, oh- about mid way into the ‘holiday’ season - I admit I was pissed, and upset. So ok, “que sera sera”, it’s the holidays, whatever. BUT when the same people continually act as though I’ve never told them more than my opinion of frosted flakes vs. cheerios, as I listen to their current life drama for the umpteenth time??? Give me a break. But, oh yeah!…it’s the holidays, and I’m gonna take it in stride, because as someone reminded me not too long ago, “you never really know what people have going on in their lives”, no matter what they tell you. So true. Could be worse than I imagine, could be better than they’re making it out to be, but in any event I’ll just try and be a friend - a good, loyal, faithful, listening, advising or warning (if asked), ‘man’s best friend’, dog-friend. I know who mine are, and I am thankful for them. I’m grateful too, that I realized the importance of ‘being a dog’ before I launched into what may have come across as a selfish, egocentric, and needy rant for mutual understanding and caring in a friendship or two (even though I truly believe that I deserve those things in my relationships).

I guess the old cliché is true - you can’t teach old dog new tricks, and I surely know you can’t change people. I’m starting to think acceptance gets easier as we age. Either that, or my self image is no longer tied to what other people do or don’t do; say or don’t say – no matter how much I care about them. You may not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but you can depend on an old dog trained well.