The Artist

I sat with her as she painted....And paint she did...alas, I have always been afraid to try................

 

 

 

So now I try. Holding the pencil I step out there and inside an object.

What the f**k am I doing?

Twisting lines into fragments of nothing

Hoping I can pull something true

And through into view, into here,

The real world, or ‘how you feel’.

 

Somebody,

Anybody, one man or woman,

Even a nobody can throw those same lines onto a page

Alchemizing a perspective

Into existence as something new and tangible.

Yet I, me, and those like me who see

Chaos in all straight lines

Put rationale, confusion

And unskilled strokes into something

….anything…to make sense of this….

This page, this sheet, this new universe we attempt to conjure

And prove we are gods unworthy.

 And yet, what these…these…

…these artists do is vile,

Sitting at their canvas looking at the same as you or I

And they see something else,

Something ethereal

And then they intrude upon our colder senses

Kissing us deeply where we we were unaware could be kissed,

And they touch us

Touch us so raw that they make us

Feel so much less than they,

Make us feel human,

Feel humbled in the knowledge of owing them

For reminding us

Just how beautiful the world is.

Reviews

[Kara Emily Krantz]

yes yes :) very well done. I need to read it again though.

"What the f**k am I doing?" - I thought that was hilarious. it just totally wrapped me in. and it wasn't an unnecessary uncomfortable use of a swear, it was humorous and kind of self-belittling in a way that was quite adorable. plus, i could totally relate.... if i was trying to paint anything lol

"Hoping I can pull something true /And through into view, into here,"

Very nice lines there.

"Alchemizing a perspective / Into existence as something new and tangible."

Love the use of 'alchemizing' - i mean, seriously. can't use that very effectively in many pieces, but you rocked it here. :)

"anyhting" = stupid little typo :P

"Kissing us deeply where we we were unaware could be kissed,"

Favorite line of the piece. that is fantastic. it makes me want to write something with that line in mind. Love it.

"For reminding us /Just how beautiful the world is."

What a lovely, hopefuly way of ending this piece. I love how you go from sort of a cynicism and frustration, to an acceptance of what IS beautiful about what you're contemplating... and the artist. and all that jazz.

Great piece. :) I obvioulsy liked it if I felt the need to ramble on about is so much. I do, however, feel like it's still a little raw - like maybe you just threw this out recently? typed it right into the computer, perhaps? because with some touching and tightening, it could be a really rockin' piece.

Regardless, adore it.

[Kris Tate]

Very well written, I really like the imagery in this. But you need to remember what the artist does with paints and pencils, poets do with words, verse and prose. I think you made at least one today
"Feel so much less than they,
Make us feel human,
Feel humbled in the knowledge of owing them
For reminding us
Just how beautiful the world is."

You have great talent.

[zig]

i have always been so fasinated by art and artists, just watching someone paint is as entertaining as the painting itself. amazing write, enjoyed this much-ly. zig

[Ani Ashford]

LOL I am an artist - and I used to teach middle school children. Then there are the adults who swear they cannot draw a straight line. Sad that... because it isn't about making a straight line or painting a picture that could be a photographic likeness. You have captured so much in this piece. It is wonderful.

[Sara Muschweck]

This was amazing, and so touching. I have had the pleasure of sitting and watching talent unfold before my eyes, the oils dancing colors on the surface of canvas stark white, solitary color that alone has no meaning, yet combine to define brilliance and light. Watching such beauty being created and standing to realize that I will never have the skill to bring such emotion from those same oils, paints that would lay mocking before me. You have written with such eloquence and created a work of art that truly would be envious of the painter's soul.

[Travis Lawrence]

Of course, literally you are talking about drawing, but this is a piece of art, too. I read it as the artist as a poet, and a painting as a poem, and it keeps the same effects. For example,

"Somebody,
Anybody, one man or woman,
Even a nobody can throw those same lines onto a page
Alchemizing a perspective
Into existence as something new and tangible"

or...

"This page, this sheet, this new universe we attempt to conjure
And prove we are gods unworthy.
And yet, what these�these�
�these artists do is vile,
Sitting at their canvas looking at the same as you or I
And they see something else,Something ethereal
And then they intrude upon our colder senses
Kissing us deeply where we we were unaware could be kissed,
And they touch us
Touch us so raw that they make us
Feel so much less than they,
Make us feel human,
Feel humbled in the knowledge of owing them
For reminding us
Just how beautiful the world is."

Whew, that was a lot to quote, but I've felt the EXACT same about poetry thousands of times. Can't you picture it while you read? I hope you were going for that double, underlying irony. Your emphasis here is transcendental, like Emerson or Wordsworth would have written about the brilliant artist/poet who sees and feels and uses colors or words much more vividly than anyone ordinary. I like this piece very, very much.

Have a nice day!

[Jamal]

I have read three of your poems. This is the one I can relate to. You have known writer's block and the excitment of the break. You have read your work and wondered, "Who wrote that? Damn that's good!" And the intoxicating feeling afterwords when you realiZe it was you. I really like this one!

[J.P.O.et]

Bravo, Mikl
You make me want to be a better writer
I didn't know where you were going with this at first, but as my own brother is an artist I undersstand how it seems they work with a whole different side of their brains, and yet they view us with equal frustration
Merci beaucoup (sic)
J.P.O.et

[Shalini R]

theres romance in this
and realistic features
and confused reality
i love this
its a great mix of everything

[Midnight Shadow]

This is emotionally raw and powerful! Brilliant piece. It connects with the reader immediately and guides you through those twisting lines and meanings! Crafted beautifully, my friend!

[Kelly Rainwater]

I would love to hear this read aloud. It has a beautiful cadence, lending itself to the spoken word. Very well done!