Care and grace,
her body leaks
from the lead
of my pencil,
spilling curves
striking arches,
a whirling dervish
dancing en pointe
across the cold
white expanse
of my tablet.
Calloused fingers
poke and push
grey shadows
giving form,
adding texture,
breathing life
onto her flesh,
leaving hints
embedded in the
grooves of
my prints.
Empty void,
her face
left blank, less
pink shavings
of erasure,
failure to capture
beauty's blush
along her cheeks
nor tender heart
tasted as our
moist lips meet.
Scratch and claw,
her abiding eyes
elude my pursuit,
the seat of
her soul, leaving
creation incomplete
crumpling into
another ball
around the base
of the wire
woven trashcan.
Blind and fumbling,
passions beseech
kiss me again
help to see
beyond shadows
hiding the memory
in plain sight
of the first day
I cried,
oh how she
loves me.
For a season I was an artist, sketches and watercolor mainly, many a landscape or odd little things along the way. Even dabbled in silk scarves. Did the art tour of New York. Capturing the essence of people left me exhausted in angst. To translate all that you see in their eyes onto paper was elusive at best. Perhaps I will try again, one day.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
69 comments:
Yes, I think that is why I tend to avoid drawing faces.
How wonderful though to have done that art tour of NY, even though it led to the artist's anguish. I see now you capture things with the virtual pen, rather than pencil and do it quite well too, I might add.
Hi! I had quite a time with my blog. Will come and read this post later.
By the way, please visit my blog. There's a surprise waiting for you!
Loved your poem. I've always longed for artisitic talent in the drawing and painting arena.
Another lifetime perhaps.
You are a very talented fellow! This was wonderful writing.
Brian, YOU ARE AN ARTIST! Your prose are the most absorbing of art....painting, drawing with words.
♥
S
All these creative acts are expressed out of the same place, hand, your own. -J
Oh, but beauty is elusive, as life is. Hard to capture, but so appreciated. YOu did capture the essence of creation, the act of love in the rendering of beauty and love.
You are an amazing young man, with many talents and many experiences.
Funny how our grown up sensibilities and skills cannot capture the essence of our subject given all of our worldly experiences and learned techniques, but our young ones, with just a few innocent scribbles and lines, can capture a spirit or mood perfectly.
lakeviewer, i like to think that beauty never fades, only changes in texture and taste...
Somehow I just knew you were creative in other ways other than writing.
Perhaps you could share your work with us some day.
Hmmmm - hardly surprising - you are such an artist with words. You paint word pictures just as an artist paints colourful strokes.
Have you ever thought of featuring any of your work on this blog?
oh, its been years since i really did much than play with the boys or doodle for work...perhaps.
I too have dabbled with a variety of artistic medium: oils, yarns, beads, fabrics, paper, camera, software, gourds, wax, stamps ~ if I can create with it, I've probably had it in my hands at one time or another. Your poem captured exactly how I have felt when attempting to sketch freehand. I'm best with a photographs to start with.
What I love most about your words is that they paint the picture for you and so seemingly effortlessly. You are a one-of-a-kind in your genre and I love being your audience.
Regards,
Karis
Just painting with words now.
The way you have caught the artist's synchronicity with his/her medium is really startling. I had never seen it in this light, but will from now on.
I'm not surprised at your revealing this hidden past. The artist fair exudes from your pores.
Kat
I agree with the comment above (Wings), this felt like a painting of words...
I think it is very difficult to paint or sketch portraits; one has to really get to know a person to be able to adequately capture their true essence.
:)
Brian, how wonderful that you are an artist. I, also, have painted. One day I may post some of my paintings. The problem is that photographs do not capture (or do justice to) the actual paintings as one sees them in life. I don't paint much anymore, however. Haven't painted in years, actually. All my pastels are packed away. Sigh.
An artist? I couldn't tell from your writing. Little one, you do translate what you see in peoples' eyes on to paper. You just seem to find it easier with words than lines. It is interesting that drawing drained you more. An artist for a season...hmmm, sounds like a book title to me.
oh yes you should try again and show us, your devoted readers!
Beautiful! It's difficult to draw a face for some reason. Not sure why, maybe it's the trouble of catching the expression.
It would be hard for me to capture anyones inner qualities when their picture would end up looking like a SouthPark Character! lol
You've just changed your medium, my artist friend.
Art is hard. My college major was Fine Art and by the time I'd earned all my credits, I hated Art and was onto adding an English major. Still love English. Never was any good at Art.
I learn something wonderful and new about you every day, Brian. Today that you are even more accomplished than I realized. NY Art Tour. Wow.
Very nice window into the artist's experience of making art.
In my next life I'd like to be an artist-- and be able to write half as good as you do :-)
You should try again. From reading your pieces and your poems you seem to have a "visual" artistic skill - painting pictures with words. I am sure this will translate well into paintings, drawings and sketches.
There is a season for everything. Art was one of my outlets, too, once. I even went to school for theater design. I now find other media much more satisfying.
Very interesting poem. I felt the process.
Tuesday's Tales #1 - John
Oh I would love to see some of your sketches! Please do try again!
you paint pictures with words, you will always be an artist.
much love
Cool and freaky at the same time. Haha! I like how you are frustrated at leaving the face blank, trying to kiss, crumpling the paper and starting again.
I had a delusion that I was a great painter when I was a child, until I saw my classmates artworks. Wah! Hehehe.
You're all talk....where is this picture you speak of :)
Lovely poem, I wish I could be able to express myself as you do! :)
Thank you for stopping by my site! Very much appreciated. :)
I know there is a connection between poets and visual artists, I hope you do try it again someday - who knows but that with age new things will develop within you.
And yeah, I'm in a couple of bands (nice segue, huh). I play with a band called Thom Jayne and the Nomads - a very humble site at www.thomjayneandthenomads.com - I'm the bass player. Also I play with a thus-far un-named group that does smooth jazz, a little of this and that. I teach music out of my home - piano, bass, guitar - and I'm the accompanist for our school district. So, I'm a "working musician" - poor but happy!
And now I think I will copy and paste this for the others who asked! :-)
I can tell that you must have tried to sketch your wife, because she was a ballerina. No wonder you couldn't capture her-you are in love with her and you would have difficulty capturing the essence of all you see in her on paper.
But I bet if you try again to sketch others, you will succeed. You have the sensitivity to do it. I just know it!
Sketching with a pencil is an advantage when you want to keep the drawing impartial. That is an interesting fact to know about you that you were into art for awhile.
Dude, you're still an artist.
I agree with the commentor before me. You are still (a very gifted) artist. You are just using a different medium.
Like Movie said, you are still an artist!
Hi, Brian. I'm so glad you stopped by my blog this morning, which caused me to come here and read your lovely poem. With a few quick strokes, you captured the whole experience to share with us. You say you're just learning to ply the poetry thing, and I'd say you're a natural at it!
Cheers! Chris A
This was beautiful. I could feel the love he was putting into the sketch and then his frustration when he couldn't get the blush on her face right. :) Love reading your stuff. Keep it up! :)
Yes, do try again. If your sketches are anything at all like your words, I'm sure that it's true art.
I am envious of people that can create in this way. I hope you share with us some day! :)
Your artistry is woven into all that you write. You make real the form, the essence, the vitality, the very substance of quest and pursuit fully known and present.
Enjoy each awakening - they do come. I did not paint since childhood and then in 1999, brush and paint became a new love affair. You may enjoy a visit to: http://www.apogeeart.com The section "Conceptual" is my most recent work.
can i borrow your muse for a couple hours?
Your description and imagery is...... hang on - have I said this before?
Oh, screw it - so what if I have?
It's great. Inspirational even. Time in and time out.
Oh YES do try again!Of course if it's what your heart wants!I know you are an artist!A multi-talented one!;)
Man, your comment love is HAS GROWN. Happy to see that people have noticed your talent. You need to publish!!!!
This one blew me away as all of them about your T. BTW, loved the halloween pics. Too cute!
This was a poignant piece of prose and you created a visual that felt more real than if you had posted the sketch. Nicely done…
Art is like poetry ~Leonardo da Vinci
One reason I'm a decorative artist and not a fine artist, can't draw faces and bodies worth a darn.
Well written...I could definitely tell there were many a crumpled paper at the base of the trashcan! I am still amazed at people that can truly capture the essence of the soul in a painting. It is after all, an essence...a fleeting moment. We all have our talents...yours is writing of these feelings...I can feel the angst!
I'd love to see a complete list of all the jobs you have held. :)
So being an incredidble, brilliant, astute writer wasn't enough you can draw too, colour me GREEn with envy, I'd love to see some of your work, why don't you open another blog for your sketches, I assure you I'd be a steady visitor...ok of course, you'll have to get a scanner if you don't already have one ;)
beautiful writing here as well!!!!!
You're incredibly creative, Brian. Drawing was always by downfall, and still is!
CJ xx
One thing that always makes my jaws drop is a good sketch or painting. I could never draw a single straight line with my free hand. I mean, how do you draw? Can you learn to paint?
Many of my bloggers are artists of varying calibres. Some truly talented. I wouldn't dare compete frankly although I draw a mean horse and my doodling skills are second to none! I'd love to have bash. In retirement perhaps! You should post some of your pieces.
I would love to hear more about your New York adventure with art.
You can write AND draw? Geesh. Life just isn't fair sometimes! :) If you drew anything like you write, I'd certainly go back to it! I envy anyone who could just pick up a pencil and start sketching. Sure, I could do it, but all the people would be stick people, and all the animals would look like dogs. :)
I love this Brian! So passionate and sensual =) I am jealous you can draw as well that hardly seems fair lol
awesome, Brian!
you said with your words what the pencil could not capture. excellent
Great sketches my friend, either way :-)
Nice, Brian! Reading this, I felt as if I were watching over your shoulder as you drew the sketch. Very vivid!
Stormcat had a good idea for the prompt explained in the comments you are most welcome to add another submission if you want to have a go at it
I enjoyed reading this without knowing that it was about the frustration of trying to capture your passion for your woman in a drawing. I felt all the relevance of that same frustration as a poet where words are your medium for expression. Regardless, I really loved this piece and felt you were speaking from your heart. You were trying to write your love to your love so it required a hundred rewrites because it had to be just right! But then who am I to say, I'm such a sucker for a love story!
I'm amazed by people who can capture a person's essence in painting or drawing. You capture it in your writing. You are definitely an artist!
There's a delicate touch to this which is different from your usual writing. Not better, just different. A tenderness. I like it, of course. Happy to read something I missed. :)
Oh just so excellent Brian!
I too - until the second read - did not realise you were attempting to capture your love through the medium of a pencil.
You drew your feelings very well!
Anna :o]
Post a Comment