"If there is any one reason to single out artists as
being more necessary to our lives than any others,
it is because they provide us with light that cannot
be extinguished. They go into dark rooms and poke at
their souls until the contours of our own are familiar
to us. They stare at flowers until their secrets unfold,
wrestle with angels that the rest of us are terrified
to disturb."
— Phyllis Theroux, The Book of Eulogies.
Emily Dickinson wrote more than 1700 poems.
About 10 were published in her lifetime. She
was truly writing for the stars — the "transport
of the aim."
A great Hope fell
You heard no noise
The Ruin was within
Oh cunning wreck that told no tale
And let no witness in
The mind was built for mighty Freight
For dread occasion planned
How often foundering at Sea
Ostensibly, on Land
A not admitting of the wound
Until it grew so wide
That all my Life had entered it
And there were troughs beside
A closing of the lid
That opened to the sun
Until the tender Carpenter
Perpetual nail it down —
[Johnson: 1123]
I fit for them —
I seek the Dark
Till I am thorough fit.
The labor is a sober one
With this sufficient sweet
That abstinence of mine produce
A purer food for them, if I succeed,
If not I had
The transport of the aim —
[Johnson: 1109]
I felt a funeral, in my Brain,
And Mourners to and fro
Kept treading — treading — till it seemed
That Sense was breaking through —
And when they all were seated,
A Service, like a Drum —
Kept beating — beating — till I thought
My mind was going numb —
And then I heard them lift a Box,
And creak across my Soul
With those same Boots of Lead, again,
Then Space — began to toll,
As all the Heavens were a Bell,
And Being, but an Ear,
And I, and Silence, some strange Race,
Wrecked, solitary, here —
And then a Plank in Reason, broke,
And I dropped down, and down —
And hit a World, at every plunge,
And Finished knowing — then —
[Johnson: 280]
NOTEApril is National Poetry Month Here in the U.S. So before the month runs out I thought I would include this.
You know it's snowing here. :D:yes:
I was expecting to have stuff to do tomorrow so I posted this today. But as it turns out the stuff I thought I was going to do tomorrow I will have to do today. So…:D
Excellent! I'm a fan of Emily Dickinson and I;m very gald you made this post. I will be visiting Ohio probably in June sometime, date not firmed up yet, and I wish that month had been National Poetry Month so that I could get in on some local live performances (if there were any) and also extol my own scribbling skill ๐ I'll be back to say more about your post here.. I just gotta go see next door what's happening in your exciting soap about The Honeymoon … remmind me again who's playing the lead role?.. is it that handsome dude 3starswillshine2niteMusicknaChamberlain? ๐ (sowwwwwy Richard ๐ ๐ )
Originally posted by edwardpiercy:
i do, now ya told me :Dwe had our worst winter for 100 hundred years but that's all back in January now… and we are in Springtime today and last two weeks it's been glorious warm spring days:yes:
@ Star.You know I used that very stanza of that poem as the epigraph for my second novel.:heart:
@ John.Originally posted by lokutus_prime:
I'm sorry to hear that, John. I really am.:p
Originally posted by Stardancer:
Beautiful! :happy:
Emily has such a way with words.:heart:
Especially if you yourself have spent periods of your life exploring that ruin within. I know, I have…
"And then a Plank in Reason, broke,And I dropped down, and down –And hit a World, at every plunge,And Finished knowing — then — "for me, the poetry shown is very 'atmospheric' and chilling, similar to The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The doom was hinted at throughout the Rime, as you know and — then —
I love Dickinson's ability to just nail one word up with a hammer. And in this poem, besides "then" you have "here" in the penultimate stanza. Take your index finger and with the tip of it bang it against the desk — HERE.Blows me away. And I thank you for your comment, being in poetry yourself, your views are certainly appreciated. ๐ :up:
I'm delighted and always ready to discuss poetry either in emotional terms or in abstract terms. Like yourself I am well read and although it's evident (most of the time ) that I don't hold discussions on writing/ poetry regarding the technical aspects: e.g. form, meter, pentameter, rhythm, diction, abstract diction, voice, attitude and so on, I'm always willing to get into any such conversation(s) that come my way. I love your analysis of Dickinson's ability. You are succinct and you zero right in on the button. Good summing up at *** :yes:Takes me back to when I used to go to a cafe where artists and writers hung out… always was an interesting, sometimes lively, session and great experience ๐ :up:Originally posted by edwardpiercy:
I love the quote about artists. It makes me feel that I am actually doing something important. ๐
Originally posted by CultureSurfer:
You are… you are! :yes:
All this here is but a preliminary exercise to learn to align ourselves with the creative. Once we are out in the universe each soul is alone and more fully fused with that creativity. At that point we must do as our instincts tell us, to create more purely. Here, in this existence, it is difficult to keep on going without interfacing our creativity with others, in situations where we are able to do so. But keeping in mind also that when our soul launches off of this tiny world that it will be only us. To think in terms of that while we are here is beneficial. As Dickinson said — "I seek the dark till I am thorough fit", finding the " transport of the aim."It's not so much about the product as the process, the process of continuing the Creator's creation across time. "That I have made all transformations, according to the dictates of my heart."IMO.:)
Thanks, John. I appreciate that. ๐ It's difficult to feel like that during the down times, when it's just me in the studio surrounded by paintings. Artists don't get a lot of feedback, even when their work is on view. I'm finding the solitary nature of being an artist very difficult to take at times.
Originally posted by CultureSurfer:
Naomi, I understand exactly how you feel, and at one time it did make me feel down if I thought that none of my work was of much or any interest to a wider audience (or any audience). But it's not quite right for me to compare myself to you, Naomi, because what you do is physically tangible and someone can touch and feel it as a material thing held in one's hands. You can and do exhibit (yes?) and someone will, in the run of things, at some stage and time, pay for something that you have uniquely created that gives them immediate and long term pleasure. One of your buyers may even buy your painting as an investment. Not all buyers are interested in the aesthetics of a painting, but those who are not will look for something that in their informed view has potential asset, to appreciate in financial worth, and that being so (if it is so) means a good investment on their part, later to be realized at a higher price when they dispose of it. This leads me on to what I see Ed saying in his response to you. He's right of course and I empathize with all he says, but until that ideal is attained an artist may want to be immediately concerned with receiving payment for his or her expressive creation and if and when this happens as more than a "one-off" and the artist's work begins to become well known then there is – although I generalize – surely a feeling of delight at such success.Dickinson's wonderful words are sublime and as a minor – and as yet undiscovered poet myself – I would never contradict the wisdom and beauty of her observations and the magnitude of her expressive poetry.But she was in a solitary situation, was she not? And in our context, getting back to where we all are now, as artists using brush on canvas or words on page, it is an aesthetic comfort to read her words but our own attempts to be successful in what we are trying to achieve are set out in a very large arena, full of artists, writer-poets and the like.Naomi, I understand, as much as I can understand, what you are trying to accomplish and the length of my reply does not obscure the view that I intend to get over and it is that I believe you will come through and be seen in that arena as an artist of immense talent. I have looked at your paintings and these are my personal thoughts on the quality that shines out of them.:) :up:
Thanks for your Comment, John. Perhaps there will be something there for Naomi. :up:
That's my abiding hope, Ed. Thanks :up:
My apologies to both of you for taking so long to respond. We now have an awesome new birdie living with us and she is demanding and curious(putting it mildly) and she's like living with a toddler. With wings. :p Edward, I do believe it is as much about the final product as well as the process because I know my art should be out in the world (whether in the real or virtual world) for people to derive some benefit from. While I love creating the art for my own sake, it is definitely here for others. And to both of you, I should clarify that I am, in fact, selling. I've sold 17 pieces so far this year (as opposed to maybe 3 pieces in all of 2010), and I am grateful for that. But because these sales and my contact with the general public are sporadic, I am left in a state of isolation, most of the time, regardless of how much I sell or show (I've had many, many shows, but again, the only time I see responses to my work are at one-night openings). This is why it's difficult to know what impact my work is having on the world. Even if I become successful, there may be no solution for the isolation (unless I find something additional to do)and I may have to learn to live with it. I like your take on the afterlife, but since I haven't died yet (thank God!), I'm still in the dark as far as what happens. So I am extremely here-and-now focused and am sure that the issues I am facing regarding my art are issues I need to resolve or come to terms with. Or maybe I just need to stop whining so much! ๐ Thanks to both of you for your input and encouragement. :heart:
@ Naomi.A toddler with wings?Ah that would be Cupid, yeah? And I'll bet she's even struck you with her arrow.:DI don't like to preach, and I normally try to avoid "those issues" (let's call them that). But sometimes the subject does come up and I sometimes will give my views on things. I don't think that I'm going to change anything, anyway; except in my own life and activities. Good luck with everything…:yes:
Cupid. ๐ Well, you know, she has made us fall in love with her. :heart: You weren't preaching, just giving your opinion, and I love reading what you think. ๐
Thank you.:)
Originally posted by CultureSurfer:
"so long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, so long lives this, and this gives life to thee." Shakespeare's sonnets, Sonnet No. XVIII :up: :yes:"as long as I have breath to be,I shall share friendship with thee" John's thoughts :up: :yes:
Originally posted by CultureSurfer:
Me too! Amen to that! :up: