his blade pares away
excess wood, to
what he sees inside,
and though i wince
(at times)
his artist's hands,
they comfort me.
happy father's day!
What can you say in 160 characters? (spaces included) Go see Monkey Man.
Also, this is a Magpie Tale.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
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105 comments:
Wonderful! It always amazes me that a carver can see what is inside and carve away what isn't needed and leave behind such beautiful art. You do the same with your words when you write, Brian....the apple doesn't fall far from the tree....talent runs in your family.
Brian,
From the bottom of my heart I wish you a very happy Father's Day. Your sons are very lucky to have such an insightful father.
Nicely done, Brian. Enjoy the day :)
Nice. Is your dad a wood worker? Or are you?
Nice. Pruning hurts but you're better for it! :) Happy Father's Day to you. Your little guys are very fortunate!
Nice working Father's Day into the Tale. No matter how long it's been, I still miss my daddy.
Beautiful Brian. And so true, a father is like a carver, especially to his sons. He can see inside them and will try to carve them into perfection and into their true beauty.
Happy Father's Day to you, my friend.
This is a wonderful tribute to your father specifically and all fathers in general. Beautifully done, Brian.
Nice. Happy Father's Day Brian ; -)
Didn't your grandfather carve too? Seemed I remember reading a post about such.
Love the metaphor of carving away the un-needed and parenting as carving or shaping our kids. Nicely done.
Nice picture.
A loving tribute to fathers everywhere who whittled us and gave us form.
A special Happy Father's Day to you, my friend. Wish all dads were as wonderful as you.
Celebrate!
I like "what he sees inside" good description, for the carver sees what we cannot.
my dad does work work int he shop as a hobby...and yes ronda my great uncle lawrence did too...(you got a great memory)...i got none of those skillz...
Was your dad an carver? An artist? You are an artist with words.
Happy Fathers Day Brian. Hope it is special!
very nice - Hope you have a great Father's Day....bkm
very nice - Hope you have a great Father's Day....bkm
what the artist sees inside. so good, as always. happy father's day, bro.
Happy Father's Day, Brian!!
Carving seems like a lost art. I'm always amazed when I see what people can visualize and actually create!
Wishing you and your sweet family a very Happy Father's Day. Hope you can all spend the day together and enjoy!
jj
You really get so much into 160 characters and considering that includes spaces it's even more impressive.
Happy Father's Day, Brian! Have a beautiful one.
Lovely! A father's hands are meant to bring comfort, and to bring out the wonder he sees inside his children.
Happy Father's Day to you, Brian.
Nice...the comfort of a father's hands. I do some wood carving myself and know of which you speak. Happy Daddy's Day to you, Brian.
I hope you are having a fabulous Father's Day with your lovely boys :)
Very powerful in it's simplicity. I love the idea of the maker leaving a part of himself in the knife... and you. :)
Happy Fathers Day to You Brian! I didn't know that American fathers celebrated fathers day on the 20th of June. Here in Australia we celebrate Fathers Day on the 1st Sunday of September.
I hope that you had a wonderful day celebrating with your family! This was a great 160!
Some fine word whittling. Happy father's day, Brian.
Wonderful insight into your dad. I wish you and him a great day today!
"his artist's hands,
they comfort me"
This line says it all. Don't worry about not saying much.
You are a father yourself. A great and insightful day to you as well.
Joy always,
Susan
that's what every child should be able to experience - father's hands which will comfort him/her; my grandfather use to carve ... happy fathers day :-)
Oh nice!
And also, I have that knife - won it! Now I just need the skills to do the tool justice.
Great combo and a Happy Father's Day to you Brian.
I remember the talents of my father all year round, he left so much wonderful evidence during his lifetime. Happy Father's Day, Brian.
a lovely FD tribute. I am impressed that you can say so much, convey such emotion. in so few characters. Happy Father's day to you!
Nicely done, Brian.
Happy Father's Day!
beautiful...Happy father's day Brian! I'm so happy for your sons :)
Beautiful.
Happy Father's Day.
Wonderful Father's Day Magpie! Fatherly tough love!
Beautiful Fathers' Day tribute!
And a Happy Fathers' Day to you Brian. Hope you have a very special day!!
Hugs
SueAnn
Lovely. Enjoy YOUR day with your darling boys and beautiful wife, Brian.
Well done! It reminded me of my grandfather. Have a great father's day!
This poem made me think this was you thinking of your father and not just a wood worker.. really good..
I am in awe of all these poems!
Christine
Hope you have a Wonderful Father's Day
Dear Brian: Great poem. Love this! Watching your dad whittle away the wood to create objects d'art must have been a most fascinating observation; and you have gained skill from your dad's talent; very artistic!
It's Father's Day in the USA? Ours is in September. Loved your tribute, reminds me of my dad, with his lathe and woodwork tools :)
I love the way that you see things.
Happy Father's DAY!!!!!!!!!! Great post
Happy Fathers Day!
You've written a beautiful pair here!
I sold metal all my life, and I really am not very good with wood!
Holy! What a singular metaphor!
Happy Father's Day, young man.
I totally loved this! Your shortest works are always my favorite ones as you can say so much with so few words...
Happy Fathers Day Brian:)
xo
Just lovely, and hope you have a wonderful father's day with your family!
Marvellous Magpie and 160, Brian, the combination really worked, you've created a truly wonderful piece of writing :)
What a lovely touch, Brian. incorporating Father's Day into the Magpie! Hope you enjoy your day!
People who work with wood and transform a chunk of wood into a piece of art have a way at looking at something and seeing what it could be. You are like that, Brian, with the kids you work with. And you mold and show by example and whittle away on the rough spots.
Beautiful as usual, Brian! Happy Father's Day! Your sons are so lucky to have such an awesome father as you! :)
I love how you used the Magpie tale and 160 combination. Great picture with your words...very nice. Happy Father's day to you!
A magical Magpie ~ and a perfect Father's Day gift!
I can't imagine seeing the finished product in a piece of wood, a block of stone or even a tree tree, but these artists who whittle, chisel and use a chain saw have such talent.
Have a wonderful Father's day.
Nothing's skin deep, is it? Lucky to have the persistant artist at work..and a happy father's day to the lucky ones!!
Nice tribute to a carving father.
Very nice as always. Happy Fathers Day Brian. Hope you and yours have a wonderful day doing whatever! :)
Wow! I love this comparison of father as carver. Beautifully done Brian!
Lovely! Happy Father's Day to you!!!
With each story you carve away a bit more of your outer layer, revealing your wondrous center.
Ah! Happy Father's Day to you Brian!
Happy Fathers Day to you, Brian; hope you have had a wonderful day.
CJ xx
happt Fathers day mate, hope you had a fab time, my daughters did me proud today, nice to know you are loved :)
very touching 160. Happy Fathers Day
Beautiful!
I should try this 160 tale.
Hey
Happy Father's Day, Daddy Brian
Dulce
Happy Fathers Day from our house to yours!
Hope you had a truly lovely Father's Day and many more to come.
happy fathers day
Happy Father's Day!!!
Happy father's Day!
happy father's day to you!
i still am in awe of the 160 challenge.
Hi Brian,
When you have time, visit my BRAND NEW BLOG. You already know me from my travel blog (2010Namaste). You've inspired me to write and share my very first 55-word piece.
Very nice Brian. Blessings. Happy Father's Day to you.
Lovely piece-so visual and loving
Beautifully described, such truthfulness in the words speak directly to the source of universal connection and matter. :) Delightful.
Happy Father's Day! Nice piece.
Love this....some say what's in the wood is in the wood. The whittler just uncovers it. I see this in your poem.
Well done, Brian!
wow, brian, what a stunning tribute! it's a lot to say but all eyes are focused on the skillful hands of someone very dear.
i often wonder what kind of influence your parents had over you? i don't know if it was them who had such a hand in molding you but i can tell that someone surely poured themselves into you!
Wonderful tribute!!
Sorry, but all I can think of is "Here we go, Whetstone, here we go!!!" ....I went to Whetstone High School.
Ah...the Michelangelo approach: the job of the artist is to remove the excess material to unveil the essence of the finished art. My husband used this reasoning just this afternoon when trying to convince me to give him a haircut. When I expressed concern about my lack of qualifications, he told me the perfect haircut was already on his head--all I had to do was reveal it. At this writing, his hair style has yet to be found.
Comfort is what dad's do best.
Fine tribute.
Your flow of words paints a picture so clear, I can smell the wood and see his calluses. Beautiful!
Gerardine
Happy Father's Day Brain!
Happy Father's day Brian,
Enjoy those little ones, they grow so fast. Nice tribute to your Dad.
Kat
Nicely done! Happy Father's Day!
Parenthood carves away at the rough edges of selfishness and self absorption doesn't it? But only if we allow the Carver to have His way with us.
Nice picture here. Quite nice.
Happy belated Father's Day, Brian. I hope it was good for you. I always envy those who can make something out of nothing. Some do it with wood and knives. Others with pen and paper. :-)
Hope you had a wonderful fathers day!
That's so fun! And such a lovely Fathers' Day tribute too! Hope you had a good one!
creation and comfort from the same hands - no surprise here - lovely MP
It's amazing how in your minimalist style of writing, in minimal words this poem succeed to nail such warmth of thoughts about a father. I could have written it in pages to tell such story.
The strength of minimalism is its power to provoke thoughts longer than how it was written. This poem is affecting that way.
Thanks for visiting my webnook.
I wish you well.
~ Jeques
I am awestruck by whittlers who see such life and beings inside a lump of wood, and it's only when they're done that everyone else can appreciate their vision.
Lovely sentiment Brian.
My uncle was a cabinet maker and used to carve wonderful things from wood to finish off his pieces, including angels and birds. His whetstone was his most prized possession. Thank you for a lovely reminder of a sight I loved to see as a child!
yeay you didn't forget it :D
Hope you had a wonderful day with your family! :)
Awesome! I've known a few carvers (my brother,...) and they say the wood really does call to them. This is the first poem I guess I've read of yours for Magpie tales and I really enjoyed it. nicely done!
I sense an allegory...very nice!
very, very beautiful.
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