Tag Archive | art

Sometimes

Apr25

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Sometimes it’s good to have no plans

Sit and let your thoughts play in the playground of your mind

No place to be

No appointments to keep

Nothing to cross off your to-do list

Just sit and stare

Or in my case, write 

With with no agenda or plan

Write as a kind of meditation

With no goal in mind

These times are rare but essential

Our souls need maintenance too

If we fill up every hour of our day

We may burn out 

Or feel really tired

We need time to focus on positive thoughts

To look for beauty in nature or art

Perhaps create something just because

Take a break from the rat-race of life and

Breathe deeply

And after a while, when we are ready

Tackle the things that need to be done

April 25th, 2021

Reflections

Jan1

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I just realized I’ve been posting poems on this blog for ten years. How the time flies. I’m grateful to have discovered the gift of writing at this point in my life. It centres me, it nourishes me, it helps me process my thoughts and feelings, and I hope my writings bring joy to those who read them. It is important for all of us to identify what we are passionate about and peruse that and if that passion is in a creative field, even better. The arts are expressions of our souls and as such they will touch the souls of others. I wish you a wonderful year and I hope you will pursue your passion as well.

January 1st, 2021

Coloring our lives

Dec7

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The things that give color to our lives

During gray days, are:

Friendship with people who lift us up and inspire us

People whose positive energy can be felt 

People who make us smile

 

Creating art

Getting lost in the act of creation

And forgetting all else

 

Listening to music which is

“The ladder of the soul”

 

Prayer and meditation 

Going to that unknowable place

We all come from

And basking in its light and warmth 

 

Being helpful to others 

Why is it that when we do that

We smile and feel joy in our hearts?

 

Spending time in nature

The vast creation that surrounds us

Marveling at its beauty and grandeur 

 

Traveling

Finding ourselves in new places

With new people 

Who may see things differently from us

Recalibrating how we see the world

 

I’m sure there are other things that

Color our lives

These are only a few that come to mind

 

December 7th, 2019

The art of knowing

Apr10

 

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“The art of knowing is knowing what to ignore”

-Rumi

 

Life is full of beauty

But there is also ugliness

Life is full of kindness

But there is also enmity

Life is full of joy

But there is also anger

 

What we focus on

Becomes our reality

What we ignore

Has no power over us

 

I choose to focus on love

And ignore hatred

I choose to fill my mind and heart

With beautiful sentiments

 

April 10th, 2019

Sent from my iPad

Lessons learned

Dec4

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Some things in life we learn from our parents

Other things we learn through experience 

Here are a few things that I’ve learned 

 

That we can’t avoid pain in life

There is a place for suffering in our lives

That how we respond to painful situations

Is in our own hands

And that’s what will make the difference

 

That it’s OK to make mistakes

Making mistakes is part of life

And not something to be afraid of

Mistakes should be learning opportunities

Not to be dreaded and feared

 

That self care is important 

It’s as important as being selfless

Without self care we can’t care for others

Without self care we become resentful

Without self care we can crash and burn

 

That it’s important to nurture our creativity

That art counts, poetry counts

Art can be a solace in our lives

Creativity a way to unwind

That art brings beauty into our lives

Helps us heal

Helps us shine

 

December 3rd, 2018

Home

Oct20

A trip away from home gave me a new perspective

A trip to the other side of the world brought me closer to my home

We take so much for granted and I’m no exception 

It’s hard to know what you have till it’s gone

Montreal may have long brutal winters

Lots of potholes and unending construction

But it’s the city of culture

In Montreal, all races and nationalities live side by side

Our lives are made richer this way

There is much variety and

We’re exposed to different perspectives and ideas

Montreal is a city of art, music, theatre and sports

It’s the city of writers and poets

It’s a place one can be inspired and thrive

It took me going to a land far off

To appreciate what I have at home

To appreciate friendships I’ve made over the years

Having lived in Montreal for seventeen years 

This is the place I call home now

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October 14th, 2108

The magic of art

May16

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We can disagree on many things

But we can agree on the beauty of art

On the heights a poem takes us to

On how a painting moves us

On the sublime feelings we get from music

Art lifts our spirits

It touches our souls

It enlightens us

And as we share with each other

These beautiful things

As we celebrate what we have in common

We feel closer

And what can be more wonderful than art

As something to have in common

 

May 15th, 2018

Best Recipe

Mar25

Paper,color and texture
Grids
Nets
And patterns
Opacity
Luminosity
And beauty
Needle, thread
Glue
And lots of love

Combine them
With enthusiasm
A radiant smile
encouraging words
And music, divine

Put them in a place
Surrounded by art
Masterfully made
Beautifully hung

Add eager participants
Creative souls
Eager to try

Mix and stir
And what you will have
Is a Washi* collage workshop
With Lorraine Prichard

March 25th, 2018

*Washi is Japanese handmade paper

Doodling

Feb27

 

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Doodling and dawdling
Writing with nothing specific in mind
Just letting my mind explore
And go where it wants
A waste of time?
On the contrary
Our minds need play time
Down time
Creative time
When the results don’t matter
And are not judged
It’s like dancing freely
Like no one is watching
Very liberating
Rejuvenating
And exhilarating
At the same time
So, I let my pen
Move across the page
With no agenda in mind
This is time for me to
Nurture that part of me
That used to get neglected
And left out

February 26th, 2018

Broken mirrors

Jan8

 

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Broken mirrors
Broken dreams
What was once beautiful
And reflected light
Now, lies shattered on the ground

Did the person who break the mirrors
Not appreciate the artistry and hard work of the person
Who put them up?
Why did he find pleasure in destroying
What someone had built with care and love?

The shards of glass litter the ground
They can now cut with their jagged edges
And draw blood

Before, they reflected beauty and light
Now, they represent destruction and anger
And can do harm

This site of beauty destroyed
Holds the gaze of one who passes by
What happened here and why?

Amid this destruction
There are elements that survived
There are structures that stand tall
To testify to resilience
To defiance
To strength
To hope
And there are small pieces of mirror left
That continue to reflect the beauty that surrounds them

Nevertheless, seeing the shattered glass
Saddens the heart and
Makes one wonder
What part of human psyche
Craves this kind of destruction

 

May 22nd, 2016