A father sees his son nearing manhood.
What shall he tell that son?
‘Life is hard; be steel; be a rock.’
And this might stand him for the storms
and serve him for humdrum monotony
and guide him among sudden betrayals
and tighten him for slack moments.
‘Life is a soft loam; be gentle; go easy.’
And this too might serve him.
Brutes have been gentled where lashes failed.
The growth of a frail flower in a path up
has sometimes shattered and split a rock.
A tough will counts. So does desire.
So does a rich soft wanting.
Without rich wanting nothing arrives.
Tell him too much money has killed men
and left them dead years before burial:
the quest of lucre beyond a few easy needs
has twisted good enough men
sometimes into dry thwarted worms.
Tell him time as a stuff can be wasted.
Tell him to be a fool every so often
and to have no shame over having been a fool
yet learning something out of every folly
hoping to repeat none of the cheap follies
thus arriving at intimate understanding
of a world numbering many fools.
Tell him to be alone often and get at himself
and above all tell himself no lies about himself
whatever the white lies and protective fronts
he may use against other people.
Tell him solitude is creative if he is strong
and the final decisions are made in silent rooms.
Tell him to be different from other people
if it comes natural and easy being different.
Let him have lazy days seeking his deeper motives.
Let him seek deep for where he is born natural.
Then he may understand Shakespeare
and the Wright brothers, Pasteur, Pavlov,
Michael Faraday and free imaginations
Bringing changes into a world resenting change.
He will be lonely enough
to have time for the work
he knows as his own.
These are lots of fun to make and I’m wearing some as I type. Available soon online and at my upcoming shows. I’ve got several different mandala designs available.
This fine fellow was spotted along a gravel road in Oskaloosa, Kansas on Friday. Luckily I had my camera with me. It set the weekend off to a great start.. after having finished my 2012 taxes which was not such a high moment. So, pardon me for being blog-absent as I tried to wrap my brain around all things IRS and such this past week. “Wrap my brain” equals “warp my brain” but at least they’re finally done (I’m the queen of filing extensions). I’ve got lots of works in progress and trying to have a few new ones for Final Friday coming up at Love Garden Sounds in Lawrence. I’ll be exhibiting and Maria The Mexican will be performing for their release of their new CD which I did the cover art for. I’m also gearing up for the Maple Leaf Festival in Baldwin City this weekend where I’ll be debuting a few new little items derived from my artwork including earrings and pendants (which can also be used for keychains).. I didn’t make new buttons and magnets this year — I’m trying some new fresh things. I’ve also got two new coffee mugs being printed right now, so I’ll probably have those available at the beginning of November. Lots going on.. and I should be working as I type. Til next time..
In the spirit of randomness and learning something new, I’m teaching myself how to juggle. It’s also a great practice of being totally in the now, plus I assume it’ll build up better hand-eye-brain coordination. And for now, it’s a great workout since I have to chase after the balls constantly. Today was my third go at it, and I turned on this record to practice to, realizing that the beat to this song not only was perfect for the rhythm of throwing and catching, but it also puts me in a good, loose mood, which is necessary for juggling. I went from only being able to manage 4 beats (what I’d describe as throw, throw, throw, catch) before flinging the balls across the room, to 8 beats (before they go flying in every direction) in the matter of the song really. My current skills are laughable, but I’m confident. My utter nerdiness unfolds.
A fox stealing golf balls. Classic. I saw a fox the other night running in the moonlight with just the tip of his tail illuminated and the rest of him but a silhouette. Seeing it felt almost as poetic as it sounds.
The following is a really great story too about adventure therapy for victims and families of abuse. I’m actually finding uplifting news.. and wondering if it’s a result of the gov’t shutdown. Pfff.
“And how could we endure to live and let time pass if we were always crying for one day or one year to come back–if we did not know that every day in a life fills the whole life with expectation and memory and that these are that day?”
-C.S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet (the book I’m currently reading)
Many thanks to the kind folks of Omaha for making Artsarben a great show last weekend! I failed to pull out my camera during the festival, but I did manage to get a shot of my favorite water tower on my way home. Mmmm coffeeee. THANKS!! See you next year!
“And how could we endure to live and let time pass if we were always crying for one day or one year to come back–if we did not know that every day in a life fills the whole life with expectation and memory and that these are that day?”
