Wednesday, June 30, 2010

~~~~Poem A Day Emily Dickinson~~~ "Sic transit gloria mundi'


Sic transit gloria mundi
"How doth the busy bee"
Dum vivamus vivamus
I stay mine enemy! —

Oh veni vidi vici!
Oh caput cap-a-pie!
And oh "memento mori"
When I am far from thee

Hurrah for Peter Parley
Hurrrah for Daniel Boone
Three cheers sir, for the gentleman
Who first observed the moon —

Peter put up the sunshine!
Pattie arrange the stars
Tell Luna, tea is waiting
And call your brother Mars —

Put down the apple Adam
And come away with me
So shal't thou have a pippin
From off my Father's tree!

I climb the "Hill of Science"
I "view the Landscape o'er"
Such transcendental prospect
I ne'er beheld before! —

Unto the Legislature
My country bids me go,
I'll take my india rubbers
In case the wind should blow.

During my education
It was announced to me
That gravitation stumbling
Fell from an apple tree —

The Earth opon it's axis
Was once supposed to turn
By way of a gymnastic
In honor to the sun —

It was the brave Columbus
A sailing o'er the tide
Who notified the nations
Of where I would reside

Mortality is fatal
Gentility is fine
Rascality, heroic
Insolvency, sublime

Our Fathers being weary
Laid down on Bunker Hill
And though full many a morn'g
Yet they are sleeping still

The trumpet sir, shall wake them
In streams I see them rise
Each with a solem musket
A marching to the skies!

A coward will remain, Sir,
Until the fight is done;
But an immortal hero
Will take his hat and run.

Good bye Sir, I am going
My country calleth me
Allow me Sir, at parting
To wipe my weeping e'e

In token of our friendship
Accept this "Bonnie Doon"
And when the hand that pluck'd it
Hath passed beyond the moon

The memory of my ashes
Will consolation be
Then farewell Tuscarora
And farewell Sir, to thee.

[edit] Version 2
"Sic transit gloria mundi,"
"How doth the busy bee,"
"Dum vivimus vivamus,"
I stay mine enemy! —

Oh "veni, vidi, vici!"
Oh caput cap-a-pie!
And oh "memento mori"
When I am far from thee!

Hurrah for Peter Parley!
Hurrrah for Daniel Boone!
Three cheers, sir, for the gentleman
Who first observed the moon!

Peter, put up the sunshine;
Pattie, arrange the stars;
Tell Luna, tea is waiting,
And call your brother Mars!

Put down the apple, Adam,
And come away with me,
So shalt thou have a pippin
From off my father's tree!

I climb the "Hill of Science,"
I "view the landscape o'er;"
Such transcendental prospect,
I ne'er beheld before! —

Unto the Legislature
My country bids me go;
I'll take my india rubbers,
In case the wind should blow!

During my education,
It was announced to me
That gravitation, stumbling
Fell from an apple tree!

The earth opon an axis
Was once supposed to turn,
By way of a gymnastic
In honor of the sun!

It was the brave Columbus,
A sailing o'er the tide,
Who notified the nations
Of where I would reside!

Mortality is fatal—
Gentility is fine
Rascality, heroic,
Insolvency, sublime

Our Fathers being weary,
Laid down on Bunker Hill;
And tho' full many a morning,
Yet they are sleeping still,—

The trumpet, sir, shall wake them,
In dreams I see them rise,
Each with a solem musket
A marching to the skies!

A coward will remain, Sir,
Until the fight is done;
But an immortal hero
Will take his hat, and run!

Good bye Sir, I am going;
My country calleth me;
Allow me, Sir, at parting,
To wipe my weeping e'e.

In token of our friendship
Accept this "Bonnie Doon,"
And when the hand that plucked it
Hath passed beyond the moon,

The memory of my ashes
Will consolation be;
Then farewell Tuscarora,
And farewell, Sir, to thee!

Going to have to go back to latin class and research some of these latin terms employed by Miss Emily. The title of the poem is latin! So here we go and try to find the exact meaning to the poem without the back story. (Oh I wish!)

The translation from the latin title of the poem "Sic transit gloria mundi" by Emily Dickinson is "This passes the glory of the world" refers to the old adage "worldly things are fleeting". A phrase from Thomas Kempis' "Imitation of Christ" 1418 may be the suggested borrowing.
"O quam cito transit gloria mundi" ("How quickly the glory of the world passes away").

The next latin phrase; "dum vivimus, vivamus" translates to "While we live, let us live!" An encouragement to embrace life. The Motto inscribed on the sword of the main character in the novel "Glory Road".* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Latin_phrases:_D

Oh I remember vini vedi vici! I came, I saw, I conquered? Now let's find out if I'm correct!I am! Wow!

"Veni, vidi, vici" (Classical Latin: [ˈweːniː ˈwiːdiː ˈwiːkiː]; Ecclesiastical Latin: [ˈvɛni ˈvidi ˈvitʃi]; I came, I saw, I conquered.) is a famous Latin sentence reportedly written by Julius Caesar in 47 BC as a comment on his short war with Pharnaces II of Pontus."*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veni,_vidi,_vici

Next! Caput! Could be slang for "done" or it is actually latin with three possible meanings: I would think the first is the one that Miss Emily is employing, however, I will check with the context to see if this is, in fact, the true meaning of the word.

"Caput is the term used to describe the central manor in an agricultural estate[1].

Caput is the name of the council or ruling body of the University of Cambridge prior to the constitution of 1856.

Caput baronium is the seat of a barony in Scotland"*

Haha! Not the "Kaput" which I thought may have been a pun by Miss Emily (but you never know). Here is the punsters meaning of kaput and synchronistically, it is not caput according to caput in the dictionary!

"Caput is not to be confused with "kaput," which means "destroyed" or "broken" in German (where it is correctly spelled "kaputt")."

Haha! I didnt figure that! (duh).

Now what is "cap-a-pie"?

"Sir Hercules Paraguay, exported to Australia, dam of Sir Hercules (1843 by Cap-a-Pie, a good sire) and Whalebone (1844, another good sire)" A Horse? A sire Horse is Cap-a-Pie? Sir Hercules (by Cap-a-Pie (GB)) was one of the best colonial sires, having sired 18 stakeswinners for 45 stakeswins including, Yattendon, Cossack and Zoe.[2] The Barb was sold for 200 guineas as a yearling"* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Barb

So Now I have to study horse-racing as well just to get the "gist" of the idea that Cap-a-pie was a grandsire from Great Britian and Sir Hercules his progeny was a thoroughbred horse who won race in Australia in 18 THE COLONIAL TIMES same time as Miss Emily! Ok! Phew! Here is some more interesting detail about this incredible grandsire's progeny: Look at the races this horse won back in the day; c 1865!

And this horse Hercules did quite well! Oh YES!

"Nursery Stakes (1865)
AJC Derby (1866)
Melbourne Cup (1866)
Australasian Champion Stakes (1866)
Launceston Town Plate (1867)
Port Phillip Stakes (1867)
Sydney Cup (1867, 1868)
Craven Plate (1868)
VRC Royal Park Stakes (1868)
AJC Metropolitan Handicap (1868)
Queens Plate (1868)
Honours
Australian Racing Hall of Fame
Horse (Equus ferus caballus"*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Barb

Wow! Eh?! Now for some more latin phrases; here's an interesting one;

"Memento mori is a Latin phrase translated as "Remember you must die". It names a genre of artistic creations that vary widely from one another, but which all share the same purpose: to remind people of their own mortality. The phrase has a tradition in art that dates back to antiquity."*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memento_mori

Oops I found some more information about how this term "memento mori" may have inpact in the Puritanical times of Emily Dickinson. Please read more about this terms influence during Emily's times;

"Puritan America
Colonial American art saw a large amount of "memento mori" images in their art because of their puritan influence. The Puritan community in 17th century North America looked down upon art because they believed it drew the faithful away from God, and if away from God, then it could only lead to the devil. However, portraits were considered historical records, and as such they were allowed. Thomas Smith, a 17th century Puritan, fought in many naval battles, and also painted. In his painting Self-Portrait we see a typical puritan "memento mori" with a skull, suggesting his imminent death.

The poem under the skull is a common puritanical poem which emphasizes Smith's acceptance of death:

Why why should I the World be minding, Therein a World of Evils Finding. Then Farwell World: Farwell thy jarres, thy Joies thy Toies thy Wiles thy Warrs. Truth Sounds Retreat: I am not sorye. The Eternall Drawes to him my heart, By Faith (which can thy Force Subvert) To Crowne me (after Grace) with Glory."*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memento_mori

Now, who is the man Peter Parlay mentioned in Miss Emily's poem? This is a psuedonym. Peter Parlay is "Samuel Griswold GoodrichSamuel Griswold Goodrich (August 19, 1793 – May 9, 1860) was an American author, better known under the pseudonym Peter Parley."*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Parley

"In 1857 he published Recollections of a Lifetime, which contains a list both of the works of which he was the author or editor and of the spurious works published under his name. By his writings and publications he amassed a large fortune. He was elected a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1836, and of the state Senate in 1837, his competitor in the last election being Alexander H. Everett, and in 1851-1853 he was consul at Paris, where he remained till 1855, taking advantage of his stay to have several of his works translated into French. At the end of his consulship, he was presented with a commemorative medal.[1]

He returned to America and, in 1859, he published Illustrated History of the Animal Kingdom. He died in New York."*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Parley

So I can tell this poem analyses will take awhile. I am going for a nap and will get back to it in the a.m. Hope you are enjoying discovering Emily Dickinson's poem "Sic transit gloria mundi' with me...more to follow tomorrow (didnt think it would take this long, but I guess I like doing things the hard way; there are probably scads of analyses on this poem already, but I like digging I guess...anyone knows the webpage where I can find such analyses of these poems, it would save me SCADS of time! Thanks!

Back to the study! I am getting the feeling that Miss Emily is trying to convey her life and times in these many peopled and accentuating on her knowledge of Latin from Amherst College, Amherst, MA.

This morning I am trying to find out the significance of these persons in her poem and in her life, obviously. We all know the personnage of Daniel Boone, I will include detail here;

"Born October 22, 1734(1734-10-22)
November 2, 1734(1734-11-02) N.S.
Daniel Boone Homestead, Oley Valley, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Died September 26, 1820 (aged 85)
Nathan Boone's house, Femme Osage Creek, Missouri
Resting place Old Bryan Farm graveyard, Missouri according to The Boone Family book by Hazel Atterbury Spraker
Signature

Daniel Boone' (October 22 [November 2 new style], 1734 – September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky (Kentucky), which was then beyond the western borders of the settled part of Thirteen Colonies (This region legally belonged to both the Commonwealth of Virginia and to the American Indian Tribes.)"* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Boone Much more on Boone later as this is an extensive study (as is Patti). Today we will skim over the amass of details here; none the wiser unfortunately!


This morning I discovered a flash from the past! I had absolutely no idea as to the opera singer Adelina Patti. Do you know how many Patti with the first name "Patti" but only one special opera singer from Miss Emily's time who's last name is "Patti" (phew!). So it is obviously, this last name use only by Miss Emily is in fact The Patti! The Opera Diva! Listen to her singing here;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDWy0NKQXZ8&feature=related

Here is Adelina Patti, Diva extraordinaire's brief bio;
"Born 10 February 1843
Madrid, Spain
Died 27 September 1919 (age 76)
Genres Opera, Traditional music
Occupations Coloratura soprano
Years active 1859-1906
Labels Gramophone and Typewriter Company
Associated acts Home! Sweet Home!, Lucia, Amina, Violetta, Zerlina, Rosina
Adelina Patti (February 10, 1843 –September 27, 1919) was a highly acclaimed 19th century opera diva, earning huge fees at the height of her career.

Along with Jenny Lind, Thérèse Tietjens and Christina Nilsson, Patti remains one of the most famous sopranos in history due to the pure beauty of her lyric voice and the unsurpassed quality of her bel canto technique. The composer Giuseppe Verdi was not alone in calling her the greatest vocalist that he ever heard."

Well I have definitely heard of Jenny Lind! The single and the cradle style! Of course! How utterly fascinating this quest! Now we have to put it all together to make cognizant sense of this poem! Help!

After going to Youtube and listening to the divine Adelina Patti probably like Madonna today, I feel, somewhat more attached to the personage of Miss Emily. Understanding her world and times. Thank-you Miss Emily for introducing me to this great!

"Three cheers for the gentleman who first discovered the moon"
Would that be another Operatic reference? Or from Miss Emily astronomy studies at Amherst College? The first "gentleman" to see craters would have been Galileo Galilei the inventor of the telescope in Italy 1600's Italian Renaissance period?

"Portrait of Galileo Galilei by Giusto Sustermans
Born 15 February 1564(1564-02-15)[1]
Pisa,[1] Duchy of Florence, Italy
Died 8 January 1642 (aged 77)[1]
Arcetri,[1] Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Italy

Notes
His father was the musician Vincenzo Galilei. His mistress was Marina Gamba and Maria Celeste was one of Galileo's daughters.
Galileo Galilei (Italian pronunciation: [ɡaliˈlɛo ɡaliˈlɛi]; 15 February 1564[4] – 8 January 1642)[1][5] was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations, and support for Copernicanism. Galileo has been called the "father of modern observational astronomy,"[6] the "father of modern physics,"[7] the "father of science,"[7] and "the Father of Modern Science."[8] Stephen Hawking says, "Galileo, perhaps more than any other single person, was responsible for the birth of modern science."*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galilio

Who had a great deal of problems convincing officials that the earth was not the centre of the Universe (but it Is in my universe, and not unlikely Miss Emily's!).

The reference to Luna and Mars in this stanza is obvious, from her Latin and Roman studies at Amberst. Emily is indeed "showing her stuff" her acquired knowledge from these sources had a profound effect on her. It is pure whimsy how she treats such sublime subject in her poem. And having such a serious subject matter; almost satire!

I like the Hurray line it reminds me so much of Sis Boom Ba and college cheers undoubtedly. I am reminded of Miss Emily, like Alice in Wonderland wholly consumed by her environment and the world stage which she tries to tie in everything she experiences into her own wisdom. Quite amazing. This may be called concept cohesiveness or cultural-individual comprehension. Or how to life in the Big Picture as a small town girl.

In some way, in the next stanza, it seems as though Miss Emily, who is quite smitten with her amazing world that is so exciting, and she is part of it all, bringing all these characters, real and imagined, mostly Heroic into her world, to make it brighter, and better.

She is showing a great sense of pride of her country, of her countrypersons, of her world and universe. She reaches far and wide to bring in all these characters and invites them to
tea with her!

How joyful is this next stanza; full of romance, and adventure;

"Put down the apple Adam
And come away with me
So shal't thou have a pippin
From off my Father's tree!" E.D.

How she does geniusly contrive magic words to suit her fancy to create such fantasy, almost dancingly her use of the term "Adam's Apple" a obvious male sign of stalward power.

Put down the apple, Adam, could mean "drop what your doing, don't sin!" And yes, "come away with me" rather flirtingly I might add, but obvious for adventure! As if Adam would be a friend of hers, the Biblical Adam, Father of Humankind. And she says here, have a "pippin" from "off my Father's tree". The reference would be to her Father, God or her Father, her Dad. Perhaps Emily's thinking here is that if Adam had not eaten the apple from the tree of knowledge (of good and evil) in the Garden of Eden, maybe he could eat something else from her Father's garden in Amherst MA where only good grows. Maybe Emily would change the destiny of humankind and the need to pay hommage to "sin" or the devil? It is interesting to note that the word devil or evil rarely is mentioned but much allusion and allegory to evil or the devil certainly exists in Miss Emily's poems.

"I climb the "Hill of Science"
I "view the Landscape o'er"
Such transcendental prospect
I ne'er beheld before! —"*E.D.

In this stanza, Emily is discussing, maybe something deeper than her own small insular world of Amherst MA, but I think she is referring directly to Amherst College and Amherst, which may be on a Hill with the College situated on a hill (I will have dig her to figure if in fact Amherst MA is on a hill!)

Emily did "view the Landscape o'er" it is interesting that Emily uses a capital "L" here, as if the Landscape takes on a new dimension and rigour of Divinity. And in fact the landscape is "transcendental" referring to Whitman et al with this illuminating philosophy.
Emily is astounded at the depths and intensity she is feeling and seeing the view from the hill overlooking her small town. Emily is in total amazement at the beauty of it all and is no doubt having a cosmic consciousness moment. (see Dr. William Bucke, etc.)

"Unto the Legislature
My country bids me go,
I'll take my india rubbers
In case the wind should blow"

Emily is overwhelmed at the prospect of her place in the country and her empowerment as a citizen of the state. Her country says that she has the power to be the "legislature" (which is also capitalized like an allegorical figure. "My country bids me go" or to take part in the government as a citizen in democracy each person is suppose to be actively contributing to the workings of the government; thus Legislature. As if Emily, in a "Dr. Foster" English children's rhyme says she'll take her "india rubbers" or galoshes to Washington in case the "wind should blow" (also satirical reference to the "goings on in Washington being "like a storm or malestorm".).

"During my education
It was announced to me
That gravitation stumbling
Fell from an apple tree —"E.D.

Emily is using her acquired knowledge at Amherst in regards to her knowledge of Sir Isaac Newton's theories of Gravity. Instead of the apple stumbling it is "gravitation stumbling" which fell from an apple tree. Emily again, as she is wont to do, as exampled in the first stanza almost dylexsialy (sp? ?word?) transforms the theory of gravity upside down, which is rather funny! Wonders what the term is for this literary devices. Do not know if there is such a thing. NST (No Such Thing). We will have to find a word for this poetic technique!

"The Earth opon it's axis
Was once supposed to turn
By way of a gymnastic
In honor to the sun —

It was the brave Columbus
A sailing o'er the tide
Who notified the nations
Of where I would reside"*

Emily's world is full of frivolity, she'd rather the world be nonetheless, where Columbus was telling nations "where I would reside". Emily is all is jest, it is obvious here. It is very refreshing considering the usual Puritanic/Victorian mindset of glowery dowers, loomingly gloomy.

Mortality is fatal
Gentility is fine
Rascality, heroic
Insolvency, sublime

Our Fathers being weary
Laid down on Bunker Hill
And though full many a morn'g
Yet they are sleeping still

Emily's spunky attitude, and light-hearted way in this poem is refreshing, and she mocks the usual diatribes. Like "Mortality is fatal" (no kidding!) or Gentility is fine (yes, it is) or Rascality is heroic (this is truly spunky!) and Insovency, sublime (yes, it is most certainly). I think Emily is trying to poke fun at the attitude of sublime solemness which had taken hold of most with the extreme puritan ethics. Emily wanted to dance and sing and to enjoy her life and her world, yet always, this sublimely serious mood of the world would overtake her light-hearted attitude. Maybe I'd say her poetic sensibilities were molded into the "way she should go" which Emily, in my opinion, did not want to go. Emily wanted to have fun and enjoy life, it is most evident here. Live for today motto and the other latin motto's which say "life is short". Emily would have fun. The reference to the Founding Fathers like George Washington, et al is being discussed here, Let me figure out what is "Bunker Hill". Oh the MA Revolutionary War heros fought on Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Ma! Good to know!

"Bunker Hill" where the presidents are buried, etc. Even though morning comes up and goes down, they are still buried, and dead. What does this mean? La Dolce Vita? Emily was quite the personality!
Battle of Bunker Hill, a battle American Revolutionary War fought near (not on) the hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts
Several American ships named after the Battle of Bunker Hill, including:
USS Bunker Hill (CV-17), an Essex Class aircraft carrier
USS Bunker Hill (CG-52), a Ticonderoga class cruiser
Bunker Hill Monument, erected to commemorate the Battle of Bunker Hill
Bunker Hill Community College, a two-year college in Charlestown, Massachusetts
Bunker Hill, an Air Force officer in the USAF
Bunker Hill is also the name of several other places in the United States:"*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunker_Hill

Now to the last stanzas;

"The trumpet sir, shall wake them
In streams I see them rise
Each with a solem musket
A marching to the skies!

A coward will remain, Sir,
Until the fight is done;
But an immortal hero
Will take his hat and run.

Good bye Sir, I am going
My country calleth me
Allow me Sir, at parting
To wipe my weeping e'e

In token of our friendship
Accept this "Bonnie Doon"
And when the hand that pluck'd it
Hath passed beyond the moon

The memory of my ashes
Will consolation be
Then farewell Tuscarora
And farewell Sir, to thee."


Here Emily is saying that once the "trumpet" sounds, Biblically, the return of Christ, where all dead shall rise up, that some will still go forth to fight, but until that day when the "tribe" (hence Tuscarora)or life as they had remembered as they rest under the altar, and then they go to their heavenly reward forgetful of what tribe they fought for in life. I think? I am not exactly sure, exactly what Emily is referring to when she says "Tuscarora". It could be the Native tribe, or something other which I cannot find at this time. Nonetheless, Emily is suggesting there is something more seriousl than what we fight for it is in fact "what we are" that is most important. Perhaps?


Here is my poem inspired by the above poem!

In Honour to Emily
Fine Soulful Fighter
Sic transit gloria mundi
Your world is magic
spinning upside down
gathering yourself
the opine knowledge
of it's self
Fine Erudite
Song sung Sweet
Patti and Boone
and Bonnie Doon too
is that a tuppence?
or a place
or both
backwards at the same time
spinning round
the Forefathers
and FAthers too
Confederate and Bunker Hill
and Indian TRibes recount
our place
is with the Heavenly Throngs
once we have left this Earth

jj

Hope you enjoyed Emily today!































jj

☮✿❤FiNe ArT wEdNeSdAy☮✿❤cLaEs OlDeNbUrG FrEe StAmP☮✿ ❤



Free Stamp outdoor sculpture, Cleveland, Ohio's Willard Park. Sculptor: Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Known as the "world's largest rubber stamp" The dimensions of the sculpture are 28 ft 10 in (8.79 m) by 26 ft (7.9 m) by 49 ft (15 m).The sculpture depicts a rubber stamp with the word "FREE" in its stamping area.*

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Stamp

Thought this might be an interesting art piece to discover due to the fact there is so much contraversy around BP and in fact BP bought the building from Standard Oil of Ohio. The Modern Art Sculpture by Claes Oldendurg called "Free Stamp" is typical of an Oldenburg; life-sized object made giant-size; much larger than life they take on a new dimension and a new understanding wholly modern.

I was rather shocked to find that BP did not like this sculpture. But after the BP oil disaster, maybe not. It seems to me the idea "Free" with "Oil" would be incongruous. Hopefully someone will get it. One day? Free? Ok! Sohio had previously been acquired by BP, and BP executive Robert Horton took over the management of Sohio before the sculpture was installed. He believed that the stamp was "inappropriate" for the location, and that Oldenburg actually intended to mock BP about Sohio's loss of corporate freedom and the lack of freedom in office work.[6] The company gave the artists permission to move the sculpture to another part of the city, but they refused. As a result, the stamp was placed in storage in a facility in Whiting, Indiana.[1] Over the next several years, BP, the artists, and the city consulted to find a new site for the sculpture. Several sites were proposed, including the Cleveland Museum of Art. The artists, who wanted the sculpture to remain near Public Square, finally chose Willard Park.[7]

In 1991, BP donated the sculpture to the city of Cleveland.[4] The stamp was modified to sit on its side, and it was dedicated in its new location in November 1991.[7] Oldenburg reportedly said that it looked as if a giant hand had picked up the sculpture from its intended location at the BP Tower and angrily hurled it several blocks, where it ended up on its side.[5]

jj

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

~~~Emily Dickinson Poem~ "There Is Another Sky"~~+ Critique Etc~~#3/1775~~



There Is Another Sky by Emily Dickinson


The cows are going to pasture and little boys with their hands in their pockets are whistling to keep them warm. Dont think that the sky will frown so the day when you come home! She will smile and look happy, and be full of sunshine then - and even should she frown opon her child returning,

there is another sky
ever serene and fair,
and there is another sunshine,
tho' it be darkness there -
never mind faded forets, Austin,
never mind silent fields -
here is a little forest
whose leaf is ever green -
here is a brighter garden -
where not a frost has been,
in its unfading flowers
I hear the bright bee hum,
prithee, my Brother,
into my garden come!

Wait a minute! I made a Critique-Analysis of the above poem by Emily Dickinson,(found below) but I thought maybe I should do something a little more creative than just blabbing about what maybe, or I thought that might be, I think might have been or is or is not, but probably has nothing what so ever to do with the personage of Miss Emily Dickinson and her life and times. The beauty about is that Poetry can be a studied event and/or Poetry can be an instanteous event. Poetry or "poïesis" in Greek means "to do".* So lets "to do" Poetry! NoW! Good idea. ( I got this idea from Poet's House in particular Poet Jan Bervin who's Visual Poetry is taught in a course at the Poet's House in NY NY. A Place for Poets!!! What do you know! GReat! http://poetshouse.org/progwkshp.htm Also you have GOT to see this Youtube video of Bill Murray reading Emily Dickinson's poem; at the newly constructed Poet's House in New York! Funny!!!I dwell in Possibility - Also, from the Poem a Day at the Emily Dickinson website which is MOST excellent!http://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/


A fairer House than Prose -
More numerous of Windows -
Superior for Doors -

Of Chambers as the Cedars -
Impregnable of Eye -
And for an everlasting Roof
The Gambrels of the Sky -

Of Visitors - the fairest -
For Occupation - This -
The spreading wide my narrow Hands
To gather Paradise –

Fr466 Reprinted by permission.


Watch YouTube video of actor Bill Murray reading this poem (at 2:40) to construction workers! http://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/node/265

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is my "To Do" about "There Is Another Sky" by Emily Dickenson as intrepreted by Jane Jones Jun 29 2010.

Where is this Other Sky?

Where would I find her?
She is ephemeral
Transcendental
Does she know TM
There are so many questions
I am anxious to ask
As I study this marvel
of words fine smithery
Emily Dickinson
Your words like water
take to the sky
and stay there
looking down upon
your poetry fans.

jj 29 6 2010.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So maybe...what I'd do instead, is write an inspired poem (and a critique) after I read the poem of the day..I may do more than one poem a day because I have to catch up the 1775 poems I must record each day! It is going to be a fun venture! If you feel inspired to write your own poem or offer anything, advice, suggestions, etc. Please...feel free! Thanks!


Critique and Analysis on "There Is Another Sky" by Emily Dickinson

This poem is a happy pastoral-themed poem. Athough it does deal with Austin as a young boy, a child of the character discussing the life of the once alive young lad named Austin. Austin wasaso not only the name of Emily's brother but the husband of her closest friend Sue Gilbert.

However their friendship was troubled. Why I am trying to discover presently. Why Emily would discuss Austin is questionable. Was this another way that Emily had to somehow create a safe way of expressing her angst over Austin, or was she simply using the name Austin, as it could be anyone's name? Or did Austin in fact perish during Emily's time, one of many who died too early on Emily? Let's analyze this work;

You see a pastoral scene of young boys whistling to keep their hands warm, their hands in their overalls. The little boys have a chore to do, putting the cows out to pasture in the early morning, it may be fall still, just getting nippy in the morning.

That the sky would frown is in away referring to grief and clouds frowning. This image is foreboding.Wonders if Emily knew the saying "til the cows come home"; probably as this would ad a humorous twist to the poem; Emily loved to do this.

Is "she" in the first stanza referring to the boy Austin's mother or the sky, or Sue Gilbert?
Each would or could be considered separately.
She would be happy on the outside "sunny" but frowning on the inside. Maybe something Sue Gilbert would do; not being totally honest with her emotions. Maybe Sue Gilbert treated her husband like a child, maybe Emily noticed this.

The 2nd stanza discusses the other world. Of paradise or heaven? NOtice "Evergreen"? The same house name built for Austin and Sue Gilbert by Emily's father. No coincidence I dont think so!

Did Emily have a relationship with Austin? She switches from being "motherly" in the first stanza to having the dead Austin being her "brother". But there is some suggestion of a relationship of whatever kind (you be the judge) in the last line;

"I hear the bright bee hum,
prithee, my Brother,
into my garden come!"

Emily is coaxing Austin back to her garden of earthly delights as she feels she has died and crossed over. It is an amazing transcendental quality here and living in another world, beyond this.

here is a brighter garden -
where not a frost has been,
in its unfading flowers

More poems to follow. This is #2 of #1775.

jj

~~~Emily Dickinson Poem~ A~Day~~ Critique~~1775~~


Awake ye muses nine, sing me a strain divine,
Unwind the solemn twine, and tie my Valentine!

Oh the Earth was made for lovers, for damsel, and hopeless swain,
For sighing, and gentle whispering, and unity made of twain.
All things do go a courting, in earth, or sea, or air,
God hath made nothing single but thee in His world so fair!
The bride, and then the bridegroom, the two, and then the one,
Adam, and Eve, his consort, the moon, and then the sun;
The life doth prove the precept, who obey shall happy be,
Who will not serve the sovereign, be hanged on fatal tree.
The high do seek the lowly, the great do seek the small,
None cannot find who seeketh, on this terrestrial ball;
The bee doth court the flower, the flower his suit receives,
And they make merry wedding, whose guests are hundred leaves;
The wind doth woo the branches, the branches they are won,
And the father fond demandeth the maiden for his son.
The storm doth walk the seashore humming a mournful tune,
The wave with eye so pensive, looketh to see the moon,
Their spirits meet together, they make their solemn vows,
No more he singeth mournful, her sadness she doth lose.
The worm doth woo the mortal, death claims a living bride,
Night unto day is married, morn unto eventide;
Earth is a merry damsel, and heaven a knight so true,
And Earth is quite coquettish, and beseemeth in vain to sue.
Now to the application, to the reading of the roll,
To bringing thee to justice, and marshalling thy soul:
Thou art a human solo, a being cold, and lone,
Wilt have no kind companion, thou reap'st what thou hast sown.
Hast never silent hours, and minutes all too long,
And a deal of sad reflection, and wailing instead of song?
There's Sarah, and Eliza, and Emeline so fair,
And Harriet, and Susan, and she with curling hair!
Thine eyes are sadly blinded, but yet thou mayest see
Six true, and comely maidens sitting upon the tree;
Approach that tree with caution, then up it boldly climb,
And seize the one thou lovest, nor care for space, or time!
Then bear her to the greenwood, and build for her a bower,
And give her what she asketh, jewel, or bird, or flower —
And bring the fife, and trumpet, and beat upon the drum —
And bid the world Goodmorrow, and go to glory home!

For me this poem's over-all theme is "knight in shining armour" as per Arthurian legend. The first line greatly humourous by it's melodramatic words "sing me a strain". Emily is almost making a mockery of her own unmarried state "Unwind the solemn twine, and tie my Valentine!" Her humour continues in referring to nine friends as the nine muses, probably an inside joke. Her friends probably understood exactly what Emily was talking about; as they no doubt were in on the "inside joke" of Emily's mocking and pun-like humour.

Emily says in a roundabout way that love is for everyone, rich or poor or servant (swain). "unity made in twain" is quite poetic considering that twain is referring to two opposites or same (which twain means actually) coming together in marriage.

There is much personal evoking of phrase, many natural source references, bees, flowers, birds, etc. There are also puns, slight turning of stereo-typical phraseology to make a unique Dickinsonian language or lexicon wholly unique to Emily Dickinson's brand of poetry.

In this poem, Emily is considering how everything on earth is "married" or paired up with something else. In Emily's poem there is always courtship happening; "God hath made nothing single but thee".

"Thou are a human solo:? Should it not read "Thous are a human soul"? So everything in the world but the human soul is pair-bonded. This is interesting...

Emily is very playful, child-like in this verse; "

"The bee doth court the flower, the flower his suit receives,
And they make merry wedding, whose guests are hundred leaves;"

Should there not be an "a" in "whose guests are {sic}'a' hundred leaves;? This is the playfulness and double-entendre employed earlier with "sole".


This line reminds me of how fathers have a certain "authority" to take a wife and make sons, rather chauvinistic, but showing these signs of male-dominated Victoria society. I wonder if Emily intentionally wrote socio-political satire? The chauve line being "and the father fond demandeth the maiden for his son". So much for a marriage not arranged! Poor Emily!

"he wind doth woo the branches, the branches they are won,
And the father fond demandeth the maiden for his son"

Emily seems intent on a Shakespearean reference below; remember "mortal coil" and worms yes even the Biblical "Wormwood". Her Emily shows some of her latter day fear of death and obsession with morbid themes. Maybe Emily feared she would die a thousand deaths if she did marry if she had a transcendental-type (The Master Poems) with a nebulous Christ figure. Her poem reflects this attitude; "death claims a living bride". Even night and day marry, just not Emily, no, never. When she continue to read more poems and figure out her unique psychology and hopefully, see exactly what it is that is causing her this obsessive angst.

he worm doth woo the mortal, death claims a living bride,
Night unto day is married, morn unto eventide;
Earth is a merry damsel, and heaven a knight so true,

There is some fun punsterish reference to "Sue" and I am wondering if this poem is referring to her friend Sue;

"nd Earth is quite coquettish, and beseemeth in vain to sue."

Did Emily think of her on again off again relationship with her best friend here. Did she think Sue "vain"? And Emily refers to herself as the "earth". Is this Emily's personal lexicon here? More to discover on daily Emily Dickinson poem critique and analysis. It is fun to understand Emily's unique to say the least psychology through her poems. Something so close to the heart, it is bound to be an amazing discovery!
jj






All natural items in this way are interplaying in this

Monday, June 28, 2010

☮✿❤MONDAYS' FAMOUS POETS☮✿❤Study on EMILY DICKINSON(☮✿ ❤



From the daguerreotype taken at Mount Holyoke, December 1846 or early 1847. The only authenticated portrait of Emily Dickinson later than childhood, the original is held by the Archives and Special Collections at Amherst College courtesy Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Dickinson


Today I am reading poems and biography on Emily Dickinson and have found some that I have picked like Emily's sweet nosegays. The wonderful sense of Victorian life is captured in all it's regalia, pomp and ceremony. There are many jewels in Emily's fine poems, with Emily's poems. I sense the reflective spirit of the woman who enjoyed the sublime Beauty of Nature.

Selected Poems by Emily Dickinson

Hope


Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

Dickinson was a prolific poet, and very private; almost recluse. She wore white clothing mostly and went to a woman's seminary for a time. She was thought eccentric by many in her community where her family was well-entrenched.

Emily was fearful of death due to the many persons close to her that had died. Also, Emily moved to a new home opposite a cemetary which may have effected her sensibilities and created an obsession.

"Dickinson was troubled from a young age by the "deepening menace" of death, especially the deaths of those who were close to her."*

Emily preferred to correspond to her friends and often left nosegays along with her poems; a tradition of the Victorian era. Her father was a professor at Amherst College in Amherst Massassucetts. There family was quite successful and were Puritans from the Puritan Great Migration.

Although less than a dozen of nearly eighteen hundred poems of Emily Dickinson's were published in her lifetime, Emily remained a devoted writer.

The theme of death and immortality played a significant role in many of her poems.
There was a reason for this significant role of death. It was everywhere in Emily's world, and kept occurring throughout her 56 years.

A complete and mostly unaltered collection of her poetry became available for the first time in 1955 when The Poems of Emily Dickinson was published by scholar Thomas H. Johnson. Although not considered a literary master, the skeptics in her day did not realize the power and longevity of Emily Dickinson as a major American poet.

Emily's paternal grandfather, Samuel almost single-handedly began Amherst College. Emily's father was the treasurer of the College. Little Emily was taught in the classics and was proficient in music, playing the piano with much talent. She was considered an ideal child by all accounts.

Emily at only ten years old and her sister Lavinia started Amherst College. Girls had been allowed there for only two years. Emily spent seven years there taking "English and classical literature, Latin, botany, geology, history, "mental philosophy," and arithmetic.[19]"*

"When Sophia Holland, her second cousin and a close friend, grew ill from typhus and died in April, 1844, Emily was traumatized.[21] Recalling the incident two years later, Emily wrote that "it seemed to me I should die too if I could not be permitted to watch over her or even look at her face."[22] She became so melancholic that her parents sent her to stay with family in Boston to recover.[23] With her health and spirits restored, she soon returned to Amherst Academy to continue her studies.[24] During this period, she first met people who were to become lifelong friends and correspondents, such as Abiah Root, Abby Wood, Jane Humphrey, and Susan Huntington Gilbert (who later married Emily's brother Austin)."*

Although Emily did not belong to a particular religion she did go on a revival and almost became totally committed to religion. However, this was not to be as Emily felt her duties were to the home and hearth.

"The experience did not last: Dickinson never made a formal declaration of faith and attended services regularly for only a few years.[27] After her church-going ended, about 1852, she wrote a poem opening: "Some keep the Sabbath going to Church – / I keep it, staying at Home".[28]"*

"she rebelled against the evangelical fervor present at the school, she disliked the discipline-minded teachers, or she was simply homesick."*

It is hard to believe that Emily did not have a religious background or rejected one due to the Puritan roots. She certainly had read the Bible and Shakespeare and had Victoria sensibilities.

"Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre's influence cannot be measured, but when Dickinson acquired her first and only dog, a Newfoundland, she named him "Carlo" after the character St. John Rivers' dog.[41]"*

Did Emily attach so much to her dog that she foregoed a man-woman relationship? Or was her mother or father overbearing to a point where non of her gentle callers would be good enough. We may never know the truth of Emily Dickinson and her intimate relationships.

"William Shakespeare was also a potent influence in her life. Referring to his plays, she wrote to one friend "Why clasp any hand but this?" and to another, "Why is any other book needed?"[42]"*

A further understanding of Emily's aesthetic angst which wholly consumed her. I believe her intensive immersion into poetry was a result of her deepening depression due to those close to her who were dying like "flies". Remembering how rampant the diseases of the day like TB and other ailments.

"The Amherst Academy principal, Leonard Humphrey, died suddenly of "brain congestion" at age 25.[43] Two years after his death, she revealed to her friend Abiah Root the extent of her depression: "... some of my friends are gone, and some of my friends are sleeping – sleeping the churchyard sleep – the hour of evening is sad – it was once my study hour – my master has gone to rest, and the open leaf of the book, and the scholar at school alone, make the tears come, and I cannot brush them away; I would not if I could, for they are the only tribute I can pay the departed Humphrey"

A close friend, Susan Gilbert who was also a poet and sometimes nemesis soon dies as well. This also has continued wearing away at Emily's constitution, weakening her physically, constantly chipping away at Emily's resolve and desired constitutional happiness.

"During the 1850s, Emily's strongest and most affectionate relationship was with Susan Gilbert. Emily eventually sent her over three hundred letters, more than to any other correspondent, over the course of their friendship."*

Sue was an inspiration as was her husband Austin. Edward Dickinson, Emily's father had built a house for them called "Evergreen". Obviously people were very close in those days. There seemed to be something under the surface; was it jealousy? Could Emily have been jealous of Sue because she could find a man to love, but Emily could not or would not? Interesting trist going on here! It may be that Austin came into Emily and Sue's life after Emily had attached to Sue as a close friend.

"Her missives typically dealt with demands for Sue's affection and the fear of unrequited admiration, but because Sue was often aloof and disagreeable, Emily was continually hurt by what was mostly a tempestuous friendship.[45] Sue was nevertheless supportive of the poet, playing the role of "most beloved friend, influence, muse, and adviser whose editorial suggestions Dickinson sometimes followed, Susan played a primary role in Emily's creative processes."[46]*

Again, Emily's relationships never seemed to go the way she would like and it sounded as if she became a victim to ill-fated relationship, and it sounds like it was purely coincidental; or was it?

"When she was eighteen, Dickinson's family befriended a young attorney by the name of Benjamin Franklin Newton. According to a letter written by Dickinson after Newton's death, he had been "with my Father two years, before going to Worcester – in pursuing his studies, and was much in our family."*

Again, nothing much became of this relationship either. Had Emily given up or never desired a maritial relationship?

"Although their relationship was probably not romantic, Newton was a formative influence and would become the second in a series of older men (after Humphrey) that Dickinson referred to, variously, as her tutor, preceptor or master."*

Again, Emily "referred" to these older men who were more master-slave that maybe Emily could manage, but not of the marrying variety. Remember Emily was 56 when she died. She had plenty of time to find a man, but either refused to, did not find a man suitable, had love someone who had died, or was devoted to her father. I wonder what exactly was the case in Emily's relationships?

"Withdrawing more and more from the outside world, Emily began in the summer of 1858 what would be her lasting legacy. Reviewing poems she had written previously, she began making clean copies of her work, assembling carefully pieced-together manuscript books.[54] The forty fascicles she created from 1858 through 1865 eventually held nearly eight hundred poems.[54]"*

Soon there came a man into Emily's life; another long-distance correspondence relationship with a man called Higginson. Emily did open up in her letters only. Here is the proof;

"Dickinson delighted in dramatic self-characterization and mystery in her letters to Higginson.[65] She said of herself, "I am small, like the wren, and my hair is bold, like the chestnut bur, and my eyes like the sherry in the glass that the guest leaves."[66]

Again, Emily is alone. She is somehow unable to connect in any physical sense. Was this due to her position in life, being the daughter of a prominent person? Was Emily sensing she should be ephemeral only, only of a spiritual nature. Victorians seemed not to honour the physical aspect of woman as flesh. Yet there she was, working for her long term care mother who out lived her, feeding her, baking, cleaning, and in her spare time; working again (woman's work is never done) and in the quiet hours, reading and writing. Emily was a victim to her parents need for cheap labour? Maybe?

"She stressed her solitary nature, stating that her only real companions were the hills, the sundown, and her dog, Carlo. She also mentioned that whereas her mother did not "care for Thought", her father bought her books, but begged her "not to read them – because he fears they joggle the Mind."

"Dickinson valued his advice, going from calling him "Mr. Higginson" to "Dear friend" as well as signing her letters, "Your Gnome" and "Your Scholar".[68] His interest in her work certainly provided great moral support; many years later, Dickinson told Higginson that he had saved her life in 1862.[69] They corresponded until her death.[70]"*

It is fun to see how much like an almost anonymous relationship she has with Higginson who is quite a catch, just not for Emily!

"In April 1862, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, a literary critic, radical abolitionist, and ex-
minister, wrote a lead piece for The Atlantic Monthly entitled, "Letter to a Young Contributor". Higginson's essay, in which he urged aspiring writers to "charge your style with life".*

This greatly appealed to Emily, the idea of publication, and the man Higginson who did provide Emily with those three important criteria; "tutor, preceptor or master"*

Here is Emily's letter to Higginson. Notice the romantic wording, almost teasing and/or flirting! Maybe that is why she did not sign the letter, but the outside envelope only.

"Thomas Wentworth Higginson in uniform; he was colonel of the First South Carolina Volunteers from 1862 to 1864.

Mr Higginson,
Are you too deeply occupied to say if my Verse is alive?
The Mind is so near itself – it cannot see, distinctly – and I have none to ask –
Should you think it breathed – and had you the leisure to tell me, I should feel quick gratitude
If I make the mistake – that you dared to tell me – would give me sincerer honor – toward you –
I enclose my name – asking you, if you please – Sir – to tell me what is true?
That you will not betray me – it is needless to ask – since Honor is it's [sic] own pawn –
The letter was unsigned, but she had included her name on a card and enclosed it in an envelope, along with four of her poems.[63]

He praised her work but suggested that she delay publishing until she had written longer, being unaware that she had already appeared in print. She assured him that publishing was as foreign to her "as Firmament to Fin", but also proposed that "If fame belonged to me, I could not escape her".[64]*

What a romantic poet and person is Emily Dickinson! She embodies the romantic spirit 100 percent. I also found much about Emily, her life and poetry interesting; the fact her poems are easily set to music because of the use of rhyme and free verse as well as the use of common metre or ballad-meter which uses the same alternating lines of iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter. (such songs as O Little Town of Bethlehem and Amazing Grace are good examples of this form of ballad/song.)*

Also of interest is the fact that Emily Dickinson almost always or typically begins her poems with a definitive declaration such as "That fact that Earth is Heaven" and then consequentially in the second stanza has a metaphorical change from the original premise such as; "Whether Heaven is Heaven or not". Emily appeared to be fascinated with the philosophy of her time and was considered one of the Transcendentalists poets such as Emerson or Wordsworth, etc.* Maybe Emily was "too measuring"* to be considered a full-fledged Transcendentalist. Emily employed the use of "humor, puns, irony and satire".

Flowers were symbols or emblems of action and emotions. Emily evoked the characteristics of certain flowers for personification purposes. For example;

"She associates some flowers, like gentians and anemones, with youth and humility; others with prudence and insight.[134] Her poems were often sent to friends with accompanying letters and nosegays."*

Emily's "Master" poems are interesting as she felt the word or the personage of "Master" is Dickinson's "lover for all eternity". Maybe Jesus? Or God?

Emily's repeating death theme can be considered an unhealthy attention paid to "morbidity".*

"Emily's fascination" with illness, dying and death.crucifixion, drowning, hanging, suffocation, freezing, premature burial, shooting, stabbing and guillontinage.
"funeral in the brain"; maybe a result of a traumatically induced psychoses?

"Dickinson's "thirsting-starving persona", an outward expression of her needy self-image as small, thin and frail.[136] Dickinson's most psychologically complex poems explore the theme that the loss of hunger for life causes the death of self and place this at "the interface of murder and suicide".[136]"*

Maybe Emily was exploring parts of her personality which she had lost control or never fully developed and therefore she did not feel she could marry. Did she think herself insane or different. Most poets are sensitive to a point and maybe she understood this, and thus she became the "poet-personality".

Emily's gospel poems reflect the "poetic tradition of Christian devotion" alongside Hopkins, Eliot and Auden.[137"* Emily reflects on Christ's personality.*

Emily's Undiscovered Continent poems were fantastic; sometimes light, sometimes a heavy presence of emotion is noted.

Emily's poems during her time were not critically approved because of their "unusual" and "non-traditional style".*

"Andrew Lang, a British writer, dismissed Dickinson's work, stating that "if poetry is to exist at all, it really must have form and grammar, and must rhyme when it professes to rhyme. The wisdom of the ages and the nature of man insist on so much."*

However, Emily's work was considered favourable by William Dean Howells. Higginson, Emily's literary agent thought her work to be "that of extraordinary grasp and insight". And Maurice Thompson of The Independent thought of Emily Dickinson's poems as "a strange mixture of rare individuality and originality."*

A very scathing attack came from Thomas Bailey Aldrich, of the Alantic Monthly; "It is plain that Miss Dickinson possessed an extremely unconventional and grotesque fancy. She was deeply tinged by the mysticism of Blake, and strongly influenced by the mannerism of Emerson ... But the incoherence and formlessness of her — versicles are fatal ... an eccentric, dreamy, half-educated recluse in an out-of-the-way New England village (or anywhere else) cannot with impunity set at defiance the laws of gravitation and grammar".*
Maybe modern day contemporary poets ought not give up hope!

There is always history to prove whether or not a certain writers stand the test of time and true quality such as Miss Emily Dickinson protrayed so lovingly in her body of fine poetry. The twentieth century critics and historians consider Emily Dickinson work to be modern poetry and include Rather than seeing Dickinson's poetic styling as a result of lack of knowledge or skill, modern critics believed the irregularities were consciously artisticRather than seeing Dickinson's poetic styling as a result of lack of knowledge or skill, modern critics believed the irregularities were consciously artistic.[144] In a 1915 essay, Elizabeth Shepley Sergeant called the poet's inspiration "daring" and named her "one of the rarest flowers the sterner New England land ever bore".[Dickinson was suddenly referred to by various critics as a great woman poet, and a cult following began to form.[R. P. Blackmur, in an attempt to focus and clarify the major claims for and against the poet's greatness, wrote in a landmark 1937 critical essay: "... she was a private poet who wrote as indefatigably as some women cook or knit. Her gift for words and the cultural predicament of her time drove her to poetry instead of antimacassars ... She came, as Mr. Tate says, at the right time for one kind of poetry: the poetry of sophisticated, eccentric vision."[147]
146]


Selected Poems by Emily Dickinson 1 to 1775

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/A_Day!_Help!_Help!_Another_Day!

Poem #1 A Day! Help! Help! Another Day!

A Day! Help! Help! Another Day!
Your prayers, oh Passer by!
From such a common ball as this
Might date a Victory!
From marshallings as simple
The flags of nations swang.
Steady — my soul: What issues
Upon thine arrow hang!

Poem #1774 (cannot find Poem #1775)
Too happy Time dissolves itself

Too happy Time dissolves itself
And leaves no remnant by -
'Tis Anguish not a Feather hath
Or too much weight to fly -

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Too_happy_Time_dissolves_itself

Emily Dickinson; definitely worth the read (which may take awhile). :)
* Wikipedia as noted above on Emily Dickinson, etc.

My personal favourite so far;

Hope


Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

http://www.mith2.umd.edu/WomensStudies/ReadingRoom/Poetry/Dickinson/

Hope you enjoyed my research this day!
jj



Gathering Around The Table Grabbing Some More Awake State: Monday Morning


Transposed,
feeling disposed
like a broken crown on a sad lonely clown
Monday Morning awakens
a fleeting need to get on top of the day
and make it mine like a conquerer
conquering Mt Olympus
Or I can sit back and have a tea
reflect back on the week that was
slowly awaking up to this I know not
which seems far removed from my being
which is still caught in dreamland
doing what?
pretty much action
a lot of action
as I battle nightly these battles
and save the world for another day
that is all?
you'd think I'd have it all
together by now

in my opinion, weak tea
ugh
To be strong or to be weak
at times we need to be both
or wreak havoc with the nature
that is our lot

To be hard or to be soft
that is the questions
as a lot of Psychologists ask
or seem to ask
too many questions
asking what
on too many questionaires
we have a way to make Monday Mornings
a smooth transition
or anyday that feels like Monday Morning
be it Saturday or Tuesday afternoon

one must fill er up
to the top of the cup
fill in all that and
the lack of and
that of too many cracks

the cosmic egg did crack
we fill in the silly putty
let it loose like lucy goosey
that silly goose
knew the meaning and the reason
for taking it easy
and letting it be
just letting it be
To Be
That is the question and the answer
What happens when you let it be?
The peace that passes all understanding
is allowed to flow
the reserves that are held back for far too long
in the ebayance drawer

like light being let in to the soul
this Power of Love
Brings forth out of the darkness
a golden soul light
a sunshine dream
streaming in to fill
and to fling the curtains
wide open
breath in the fresh air
of a new day
with the hope that all we are now
is enough to sustain us
as ever be
was once upon a time
is now still here within our beingness
so much happiness
can we contain it all?

in the shape of a heart
this glowing ember of love
let it in, trickle in slowly
as we awaken the beauty that is within
caught on the physicality
to be made more
in the image of love
than anything we can imagine

slow down and breath
you dont have to keep up with
the rat race
or goals are really gaols (jails)
keeping us locked up and bound to
ways of being
ways of seeing
ways of allowing the
Power of Love
to flow into every corner of the Universe
and flood the mind body and soul
to make Whole
the Spirit of Love
the Power of Love
One and the Same

a certain way of being
when your being is...
what is the being?
In the Beginning there was the Being
Be-ING
sounds Spring-y!
Bounce-y
and New
so New
it is wet under the ears!

Being is just "Be"
The moment...
when the moment today is so categorized
into so many parts per gogaplex
infintismile infinitum
and in the middle?
Our being holding these two worlds
on a string!
Being String!

so just WAKE UP AND be on THIS monday morning
be what you are in all your gloriousness
because glory does not shine on itself
it shine everywhere and includes everything
there are no parts in Be
it is ONE

and glory shones and shines always all around
as shone is shine a minute ago
pick it up and bring it to your heart
put it in there and lock the door
you have gained this beingness of livingness energy now!
this energy of glory
all we are forever
we do not die
this energy is a constant source of these
two worlds of infinitismile and infinite
they feed the constant and so charge it
and you need to charge up too
your body with exercise
and energizing food
your world an you know now the energy you need
to sustain yourself
and give back to others this needed source

it is a monday morning recharger
you are one fine charger
the power to make good things happen
this energy
positive
powerful
positioned
just so on the edge of these two worlds
small large almost nothing and then bang!
cant be nothing!

Love Power
Peace Power
How can these forces be more powerful than anything else?
how would we know the difference?
Focus and Intent
The gate is narrow on Monday morning
so you just open it up
and let it in
The Love
The Glory of Love
That is All Around
Wanting to hold you
hug you
tell you
YOU ARE LOVE
YOU ARE LOVED
NOW AND FOREVER
THERE IS NO END TO THIS
would you and me and we know it?
would we just be thinking the next moment as semi-tangible
holding on by a string
caught between here and nowhere
sleeping in a dream
wanting to return to the state
of One
of Love

In our Monday Morning
semi-transparent obscurity
thinking only on the one way on the one way track
we look back
we look forward
we barely can stand here
without a prop
we grab something
like a coffee or tea
to reboot our beingness in the now that seems blurred
from being unbeing
from being another being in another universe
same soul
different body
transparency
the interfacing of these worlds
many worlds
many thoughts
all at once
in the now
what does that do to NoW
To the Tao?

are we mindful?
are we prayerful?
did we think that what the heck am i doing here
did we feel today; what? ugh?
or ahhhh! A new Day to make whatever way I can
Can we?
All dreams are possible...if you can dream them
you can be them
BE YOUR DREAM
BE YOUR BEING IN THE LOVE DREAMS
BRING FORWARD
YOUR LOVING DREAMS OF A LOVING WORLD
MAKE THEM BE IN THE REALITY OF NOW
for what purpose other than to self-aggrandise
WHAT is this? Narcissism? Me? Never! I Share my good dreams with others
But if I do will they come true?

Focus on others as they struggle too
get away from the inner focus only
focus intent and love in others direction
being unselfish is better than being selfish
give what you can when you can and remember
sharing is what we do
we give back and forth in an electron exchange
electrons without this interaction would become static
and that just messes the hair

Am I selfish? Am I narcisstic?
I doubt it or I wouldnt question it
I would humbug that question
thinking oh, I am too good for this line of questioning
and just carry on...
but I question my intent
am I selfish?
Why would I be?

Maybe self-preservation?
Or lack of social cohesiveness
or something somewhere that went amiss
and selfishness is a reaction to a lack of understanding
of what may have happened a long time ago
when I felt something deep in my heart
that felt...this is not the way I want things to be
but what can I do?

Focus on that...focus on the reason why things did not go
the way they should...focus on the feeling and find
that those feelings were not what you wanted to feel
but they made you deeper and richer in feeling
knowing you have learned the depth of positive and negative
emotion as both tend to balance one another
but know also that you have a choice
how you choose to feel and be
and no one can make you be who you are not
because your soul has more integrity
and more power of love
than we will ever understand
THE POWER OF LOVE
heals all wounds and past pains
like a flood of love pours out upon the heart
washing away the pain and hurt from those emotions
that tend to want to destroy all the good there is
when focus is placed upon
The POWER OF LOVE

so our selfishness could be a reaction
to protect ourselves from loosing
The Power of Love
Not being able to maintain the consistency
of
The Power of Love
in all our dealings
but we realize
this is not a perfect world
we are human
we make mistakes
we correct them
to balance
the
Power of Love
which is
sometimes
waivering on this plane
because
the gate is narrow
and we need to
realign
THE POWER OF LOVE

so dont worry if you may tend to at times
grandstand or say without thinking
and may not fully mean what you say or do
this tearing away from the Power of Love
as the Circle Continues
and there is this moment in time
when we have to get off the merry-go-round for a minute
because there is the gate and it is coming up and it is narrow
and I have to jump right at this particular moment...
JUMP!
PHEW!
MADE IT!!!

sO dont worry about anything
the purposeless we feel when we are not focused
on the objective...
which is...
TODAY
this monday morning?
Are you kidding?
I am so focused on
THE POWER OF LOVE
baby!
I own Monday!
Energize!

Friday, June 25, 2010

Magpie #20: Love Found in Dusty Crevices



Longingly wanting her
he caressed her stoney flesh
his instrument a blunt brush
with embellished softness
of soothing camel hair
he softly stroked her back
ever gently
as the goddess soaked in a tub of unguent
all around the sequoia
soft cedar scents wafted to his nostrils
up through the rafters
sage and musk surrounded them
perfumed heaven
passion thrashed
on the forest floor

with expertise of a surgeon
he plunged the instrument
guiding her every move
to be released from her slumber
soon threw down the towel
upon the dampened ground
he could hear clearly
the resounding clinking sound
much cheer and celebration
the doctor hit pay dirt!

the goddess' thighs
resolved and strong
folds of fabric woven
like a jaguar pounces on prey
the goddess' energy
coursed through his veins
her magnificent consistency
of ancient marble or jadite
with concentrated effort
his intentions impressed
a dent upon her flesh
his desires to tame
his claim to become her lover
much more than fame could handle
this ancient goddess of love
awakened anew

as he leaned closer
to hear her soft yet ample moans
through the jungle moss he ran his fingers
her sweet songs of love followed him
pinning him down with great expectations
little did he know
he had resurrected
the goddess Venus

this labour of love
this mother earth
this fertility goddess
a slow belaboured manoeuver
the doctor had found her
he claimed her as his own

Holding onto something tactile
as if everything had ever been
invisible until then
Holding her so close
as to create no seam
seemed so unrealistic
realized the woman of his dreams
the connection had been made
absolutely beautiful
by heaven above

venus could be heard
moaning again the same song
near to the heart dear
close to the heart love
far from the matter of ether
far from this spinning earth
in tatters

this pattern before him appeared
the azurian amulet long lost template
contemplating the power of love
empowered our present form
giving reason to the meaning
All is Love
thus nuturing souls of those departed
other caring hearts crying for attention
for always it has been, it is never done
no matter the weather, love tenders all

With all of Love's renewed strength
Resolves the conflict of rotted flesh
Restores the desire of our hearts
soon bestowed
upon us this
renewal of Spirit
riches untold

what we have found today
after digging in the dirt
removing the many layers
meted out our truth

Venus' destiny
Her spirit designs
we are to find
after that time
plus time and a half
maybe we will find
our long lost souls
at last

a secret garden wish
a present moment in time
freely given
every minute
precious
refined instrumentation
death defying
a coarse brush with life
extracting
examining
exacting
maybe reinacting
pasts
maybe projecting
futures' past
living is our present
a gift Divine

letting go of yet unknowns
the past
no longer
no bitter regrets

brushing off these splintered atoms
many eons of long gone stardust
memories of years of
static
the beginning of time
not the key in which we find
those things which complete our soul
take the soil from the toil
the truth found in the recoil of tales
the serpents tale unspun
rewound to stop
spin of the records
the key unlocked the gate
the mystery unfolds not too late
all is in the key of g
g for goddess
the muse of love
my love is whole
the goddess foretold

digging much deeper
than one can possibly go
alone
a lonely old man
and his lonely old soul

archeologists ponder
anthropolgists wonder
this philosopher's stone
caught
somewhere in time

yesterday
those whose ancient's designs
those whose enlightened souls
those whose embrace the Spirit
awoke the hidden secrets
held captive for years
in these intrinsic cairns
echoes from the mountain tops
shout it out
Love is all there is
why fool yourself?

life's eternal love song
captured forever in glistening stone
where we exist forever and nevermore
is the heart of the matter
where nothing matters
cause matter is nothing
the song of love is all there is
as we become one
we live on love

blowing freely
willowy fronds
seeding love on our earth
as She feeds our world
Mother Gaia
here where we are
in this time
this essence of a moment where
all our new tomorrows
begin

jj
Venus de Milo Louvre Paris France (image courtesy Wikipedia CC license)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_de_Milo






Time to try to brush up on your writing? Be impressed! Go here! http://magpietales.blogspot.com/2010/06/mag-20.html

Thursday, June 24, 2010

~~~~~~FINE ART WEDNESDAY ~~~~~~The Polish Rider by Rembrandt



"The Polish Rider by Rembrand van Rijn Frick Museum NY NY Picture and technical information courtesy WikipediaThe Polish Rider - A Lisowczyk on horseback. The subject is of much discussion. It is possible that the person depicted was Grand Chancellor of Lithuania, Marcjan Aleksander Ogiński (1632-1690)"*

*(all quotes from Wikipedia "Rembrandt" until such time as I can find more sourced material; please note; this is a blog entry in progress.)

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (July 15, 1606 – October 4, 1669) was a Dutch painter and etcher.

Good afternoon art fans! Today we will be discussing The Polish Rider by Rembrandt. When I went to New York, NY in the early eighties I was astounding to luck into the Frick museum. As I was casually walking around the 5th Avenue area. I do remember getting lost in Central Park which abutts 5th Avenue. Due to the fact I am under the weather; I will briefly describe this painting in less detail.

The painting is in the typical Rembrandt style of dramatic black and white (tone and tint) chiaroscuro or black and white technique favoured by artist of this time.

"Earlier 20th century connoisseurs claimed Rembrandt had produced over 600 paintings, nearly 400 etchings and 2,000 drawings.[26] More recent scholarship, from the 1960s to the present day (led by the Rembrandt Research Project)"*

The stark realism of the Rembrandt work is based in the natural landscape and the detail in clothing and facial features. The portrait are actual persons, family, commissioned portraits of persons of reknown.

Don't forget; the imagination was to be tamed somewhat. Art during the 1600's showed the opulence of the era; Holland was a very rich port of call for the world trade in all kinds of wares. The invention of photography had not been invented as yet, and the desire for portraits was a number one priority for Rembrandt's rich clientele. Art was a business, and an art, the artist having to have the finite technical skill of the old masters, steeped in Biblical iconography. The artist emerged during the Renaissance as showing the capability of craftsman, the craft became high art by it's sheer virtue in exacting quality.

Less of a statement, art reflecting the quality of life in the 1600's. Rembrandt and other painters of this time were concerned with achieving technical excellence. In this goal they did achieve a greatness. The scenes were dramatic, similar to the theatre of the time, the painted subjects look like they have been captured in a dramatic scene; Act I Scene ii of an Opera, for example. I will study this area in depth, as to the theatre, or Opera influence in Rembrandt. This will take some digging undoubtedly.

It was very important to capture the lives of those persons of reknown, the old rich and the newly rich, and to bring the Bible and other classic iconography into Rembrandt's contemporary world. Rembrandt could evoke very dramatic emotion in his works. Rembrandt did make his paintings huge, they would easily take up an entire wall of a drawing room for example. This larger than life approach to art is certainly dramatic, and this dramatic flair gives the works a super-human or godly quality.

The refinement in the technique of painting, Rembrandt having been apprenticed as a young man, and making a handsome living at his art. The rigid demands of excellence in painting must have been due to the high quality of the craft of painting, the techniques being so masterfully produced as to attain art. The fact that Rembrandt included the everyday person into his paintings, including his family and rich sponsor commissions. Maybe that is why the size of the paintings are so gigantic, considering how much value in quality and size. What amazing me is the mastery in the technique of the paintings, they are so rich, luminous layers of paint. Not sure as to how long it took to paint each work, but it certainly would take awhile for oil paint to dry between layers. It must have taken a year or more for each painting.

There is some dispute as to whether or not the Polish rider was actually painted by Rembrandt, it may have been painted by one of his students. There is a looser painterly style than the usual Rembrandt. This may be due to the fact that the student wanted to emulate his master, but have his own particular style of reknown. It may be that Rembrandt was challenging his own stylistic leanings and branch out from his usual stylized methods for this particular work. The debate continues.


the Following are some information on Rembrandt I found of particular interest. It will take a while to research Rembrandt obviously, so bare with me! I've will be back and discussing influence of other artists, etc. at a later time. For now, enjoy my skimmer post today!

Some interesting notes about Rembrandt's life and times, his influences, etc.


"One example of activity is The Polish Rider, in New York's Frick Collection. Its authenticity had been questioned years before by several scholars, led by Julius Held. Many, including Dr. Josua Bruyn of the Foundation Rembrandt Research Project, attributed the painting to one of Rembrandt's closest and most talented pupils, Willem Drost, about whom little is known. The Frick itself never changed its own attribution, the label still reading "Rembrandt" and not "attributed to" or "school of". More recent opinion has shifted in favor of the Frick, with Simon Schama in his 1999 book Rembrandt's Eyes, and a Rembrandt Project scholar, Ernst van de Wetering (Melbourne Symposium, 1997) both arguing for attribution to the master. Many scholars feel that the execution is uneven, and favour different attributions for different parts of the work.[59]"



The painting was the most impressive painting that I have noticed from all the old masters. The painting again, breathed a life of it's own. I can certainly tell that this masterful work was layered in meaning. Why this particular painting struck me I do not know. It just has a certain presense that is undeniable. It has a "WoW" factor of 9/10.

The FRick Museum is very interesting on it's own, and sort of creepy, being so old you get the feeling that the Frick family is watching your every move. Believe me, they are watching, with these ghost eyes coming from the top of the stairs; where a sign says "no admittance".

When you tour around the Frick Museum you will happen upon many great old masters. I will try to research this some more, but I remember the Metropolitian Museum of Art in New York also had a great number of old masters. El Greco's work, with it's elogation of figure was impressive. When you get to enjoy the fine art pieces, the wonderful old masters echo in time as to their particular values of their particular era.

"As a boy he attended Latin school and was enrolled at the University of Leiden"(


"Rembrandt was "apprenticed to a Leiden history painter, Jacob van Swanenburgh, with whom he spent three years.""*

"Rembrandt opened a studio in Leiden in 1624 or 1625, which he shared with friend and colleague Jan Lievens. In 1627
Rembrandt began to accept students, among them Gerrit Dou.[8]"*

"In 1629 Rembrandt was discovered by the statesman Constantijn Huygens, the father of Christiaan Huygens (a famous Dutch mathematician and physicist), who procured for Rembrandt important commissions from the court of The Hague. As a result of this connection, Prince Frederik Hendrik continued to purchase
his skill in representing emotions and attention to detail.[36] Stylistically, his paintings progressed from the early 'smooth' manner, characterized by fine technique in the portrayal of illusionistic form, to the late 'rough' treatment of richly variegated paint surfaces, which allowed for an illusionism of form suggested by the tactile quality of the paint itself"*

"His singular approach to paint application may have been suggested in part by familiarity with the work of Titian, and could be seen in the context of the then current discussion of 'finish' and surface quality of paintings. Contemporary accounts sometimes remark disapprovingly of the coarseness of Rembrandt's brushwork, and the artist himself was said to have dissuaded visitors from looking too closely at his paintings.[47] The tactile manipulation of paint may hearken to medieval procedures, when mimetic effects of rendering informed a painting's surface. The end result is a richly varied handling of paint, deeply layered and often apparently haphazard, which suggests form and space in both an illusionistic and highly individual manner.[48"*


"1631, Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam, then rapidly expanding as the new business capital of the Netherlands, and began to practice as a professional portraitist for the first time, with great success"*

"...should easily have been able to pay it off with his large income, but it appears his spending always kept pace with his income, and he may have made some unsuccessful investments.[13]"*

"It was there that Rembrandt frequently sought his Jewish neighbors to model for his Old Testament scenes.[14] Although they were by now affluent, the couple suffered several personal setbacks; their son Rumbartus died two months after his birth in 1635 and their daughter Cornelia died at just 3 weeks of age in 1638. In 1640, they had a second daughter, also named Cornelia, who died after living barely over a month. Only their fourth child, Titus, who was born in 1641, survived into aDuring Saskia's illness, Geertje Dircx was hired as Titus' caretaker and nurse and probably also became Rembrandt's lover. She would later charge Rembrandt with breach of promise and was awarded alimony of 200 guilders a year.[12] Rembrandt worked to have her committed for twelve years to an asylum or poorhouse (called a "bridewell") at Gouda, after learning Geertje had pawned jewelry that had once belonged to Saskia, and which Rembrandt had given her."*

"Saskia died in 1642 soon after Titus's birth, probably from tuberculosis. Rembrandt's drawings of her on her sick and death bed are among his most moving works.[15]
The two were considered legally wed under common law, but Rembrandt had not married Henrickje, so as not to lose access to a trust set up for Titus in his mother's will"*

"Rembrandt lived beyond his means," Who doesn't?

"In the late 1640s, Rembrandt began a relationship with the much younger Hendrickje Stoffels, who had initially been his maid. In 1654 they had a daughter, Cornelia, bringing Hendrickje a summons from the Reformed Church to answer the charge "that she had committed the acts of a whore with Rembrandt the painter". She admitted this and was banned from receiving communion. Rembrandt was not summoned to appear for the Church council because he was not a member of the Reformed Church.[16] The two were considered legally wed under common law, but Rembrandt had not married Henrickje, so as not to lose access to a trust set up for Titus in his mother's will."*

"Rembrandt painted himself as a character in the crowd. Durham Among the more prominent characteristics of his work are his use of chiaroscuro, the theatrical employment of light and shadow derived from Caravaggio, or, more likely, from the Dutch Caravaggisti, but adapted for very personal means.[34] Also notable are his dramatic and lively presentation of subjects, devoid of the rigid formality that his contemporaries often displayed, and a deeply felt compassion for mankind, irrespective of wealth and age. His immediate family—his wife Saskia, his son Titus and his common-law wife Hendrickje—often figured prominently in his paintings, many of which had mythical, biblical or historical themes"*

MORE TO FOLLOW FOLKS! BARE WITH ME! My ear is driving me to Miss DAisy's as I feel all the tornado activity in my ear! Not fun when there are 51 tornados in the states two days ago, and 60 yesterday! We had a tornado near here! Everything being added pressure and it puts me right under the weather; and that's not an idiom either.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

OTPB: POETIKAT is Serving Hash and Touch Down Jesus Scored One Big Burger!



~~~~On ThE PoEtRy BuS WiTh PoEtIkAt~~~~!
Hey!!!check out the back story here before you read the "Touch Down Jesus" poem. You've just got to get the gist of the whole thing first!http://hyggedigter.blogspot.com/2010/06/im-driving-bus-woowee-detour-up-ahead.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PoetikatsInvisibleKeepsakes+%28Poetikat%27s+Invisible+Keepsakes%29 -


Touch Down Jesus (CAUTION: Very Tacky Poem!)

It was absolutely not your fault
to be treated like fries with a bit of salt
All the time you just wanted to score
you didnt want to stop you heard the roar
the crowds went crazy; instinctively wild
you know you've always been the favoured child
you wanted to free yourself from the cement
do one for the gipper; we all know the lament
and sad lil' Johnny in the back bleachers
knew you were the best spiritual teacher

didnt know that you were so sad;
you certainly didnt look it; maybe a bit mad
who wouldn't be?
made so sloppily; undignified and hurriedly
such a sad, sad mockery of religious art
seems your artist/creator didnt give a fart
that's right he didnt think a tink
made you so fuggly without a snugglie
sensitivity made by some thoughtless rockabilly
who'd ever want to emmulate that; to bow down?
like a statue of Ronnie McDee
All kind of plastic-y
Eyucky!

Who'd ever do that?
to make you so rebukingly, yes, pukingly
that one day you'd burn up in a flash fire
gone like dinner, like old burning rubber tires
like johnny's cash, it's good as gone
like a spectre from hell all can moan
this was a favour not a retort
now let's make way for the new Jesus resort
near Miami, there's one in Ohio; coming soon!

There where things are made more whole, pure and clean
Minimalist Art instead or Pop is king; a Rauchenberg
Who needs everything giant-sized, art and life should merge
no longer to be displaced there; never disgraced by lack of taste
no more to be lit up the night in a flash fire
like a sack of potatoes in a deep fryer
left til morn on the burner over night
fire and brimstone the only thing that was right

Touch down Jesus; I'm so mixed up and torn
all are feeling the same; sad and forelorn
but now as we look back; not in anger or shame
wasnt a lesson learned?
to decrease our collective pain?

Jesus What Would You do? WWJD?
"This is not an image I want to keep"
Trash it, and call me when you've got
Something I can be happy to approve
backed by the the Packers
and an affiliate or two"

Jesus is not half baked now
nor is he a man cut in two
truncated and sinking;
a ship without a Captain goin' no where
a man stuck in the unsettled cement
He is made whole in spirit mind and body yet
flesh being willing there's no sin in that
to go the way of flesh that flash fire begat
by lightening bolt from out of nowhere unbeknowst
life aint fair when it's not kind; that's that!

You only meant to say in a round about way
as your artist (who would do that? did they do THAT?)
friend who made you; I think not
though they thought
they certainly were not, Joe
though they thought
some fancy Michangelo
from Cinncinatti Ohio

Who did not think I'd say t'were
a might bit of a fright and oh so tacky
to have yourself half stuck into an eternal pool
only to become that infernal effigy and some tool
lighted by a wicked wick of damnations fire
Satan' bag of tricks when the old man's head was turned
from a lightening bolt from above; this we learned
it t'was not His hand that set you afire
it t'was man's own lust and man's unstoppable desires
it t'was the fact when nature not let to take it's course
She has a way of getting back;
like that gentleman on that pale horse


As the laws of attraction tacky reflects back tacky
we all now how life can get; really isn't that far reaching
even though your arms were up in the air: PTL ever preaching
What exceeds our grasp; held up high in the air by You
Plus, the smoke from being smoted caused a 5 alarm ring
must have made a pleasing smell to heaven and made the firemen sing

in the future please plan to rebuild
only the spirit stores warehouse
not a sculpure by some unknown
who seemed to be somewhat rather soused

Maybe a Burger King or the like would suffice
it would be best kept on this site
and the old touchdown Jesus out of sight
than in the future the lightening bolts can daze
can go flash all through the night and blaze
no one worse the wear; all would be grand
The Touchdown Jesus stays! And Saves the Band!
as sizzling sizzle burgers feed the middle
Jesus' is back working his magic on the griddle!





(I warned you...!)
jj

I think the pics are self-explanatory. Cincinatti Ohio. Huge lightening bolt struck Jesus sculpture. Jesus statue named The Touchdown Jesus, Big Butter Jesus, B-Ball Jesus, Drowning Jesus, and Quicksand Jesus. What does this mean? again for more details please see Kat's blog: Poetikat! Thanks!