Looking Over My Shoulder

This world is but a canvas to our imagination. - Thoreau

Mexico Impression III Painting By Xueling  Zou

on a tired easel of prickly, cacti trinity

dabbed 'pon the shining palette of living's sacred divinity

each day a blank, new canvas

i splash the paint of my life

whatever sticks, sticks

whatever don't, don't

yes

even when my spirit won't

displayed in the museum of my heart and soul

newly spilled memories hanging from an old wall

good, bad or indifferent

even when i don't want to exhale another hue or brush another stroke

you have to salute to promote

all resting in the eye of the beholder

upon the back of a weary soldier

knowing what i feel and feeling what i know

donning a whimsical sombrero

colors sometimes bolder, other times colder

always a future waiting and a day older

both diligently

looking over my shoulder

Author's Note

"It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look, which morally we can do. To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts." - Thoreau

Reviews

[emmajoygreen]

We are said to be part of everywhere visited, every person met, every thought we make oR create. Seems your thoughtful poem says similar but in your way, your style - birthing from of course, your view on and of how you were, how you painted and the interim since then and now. Do you think that living with a painting, a conception or something - enhances or dilutes one's love for it, do we age or does 'it' fade?

'colors sometimes bolder, other times colder
always a future waiting and a day older
both diligently

looking over my shoulder'

[Pete]

you pose a difficult question. familiarity can breed contempt but it can also lead to acceptance and appreciation (growing on us). probably depends on the day, mood, what have you but ultimately is up to us to adjust our 'lens' through which we view. the heart, soul, spirit trumps all in the end no matter i believe. perhaps my muse said it best, "It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."

thank you for the pensive review - it shows that you clearly get it and have wrestled with similar ... :)

[Pete]

... we must rise above what surrounds us and find beauty and peace where there seemingly may not be any to be had - in a nutshell this is probably the gist of life determining what and how we "paint" ... :)

[emmajoygreen]

The important part of everything is not merely to look but to see... (plus for some to see what is there not what they think is there) ,

[Pete]

... indeed ... :)

[Brett Moore]

i splash the paint of my life
whatever sticks, sticks
whatever don't, don't

This thought resonates with me. It could be a mantra. I live my life by this tenet to be sure. Hard earned wisdom from a youth spent worrying about all the wrong things.

I spend a lot of time looking back. I also make a habit of "exhal[ing] another hue or brush[ing] another stroke" on my museum walls. Sometimes painful to look at. Sometimes hilarious. Always informative.

Great write!

[Pete]

true - the pictures aren't always something we'd want on display but nevertheless reflect our the truth of our lives or at least the impressions. better to laugh than cry says i too. you speak with wisdom. hindsight is 20/20. all we can do is keep painting. thanks so much for sharing thoughts ... :)

[Arundass TP]

each day a blank, new canvas
i splash the paint of my life
whatever sticks, sticks
whatever don't, don't
yes

Meaningful poem. Enjoyed reading.

[Pete]

thank you for the kind review ... :)

[Sami Khalil]

Painting and poem are unique and different; I feel the Ying, yang going back and forth. I feel also the poet is taking life in strides, in stages. Might he be going through midlife crisis. Wow!

[Pete]

indeed - stopping and taking the time to really look around yields an entirely different portrait from that of hurrying. we must ever sharpen our lens on what matters.

"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and look toward another land." - Thoreau

[Sami Khalil]

All true and well said. You are welcome sir Pete.

[Betty Hermelee]

we not only have to create art, but we have to construct an environment we can enjoy and live in including morally stable demographics, clean air,... and of course magnificent art...." paint the atmosphere" the way we want it to be....nice thoughts Pete
Warmly,
B.

[Pete]

seems as though there is an art to everything - including life itself. as always, thanks for the kind shared thoughts B. ... :)

[Betty Hermelee]

You’re very welcome Pete!
Warmly, B

[Dina]

I remember when I used to get yelled at for not looking towards the future enough. But it's a sensory world we live in. An artist will make a blank canvas out of anything. Everyone's a muse in some fashion. And everything is beautiful from the perspective of a creator. Even pain.

Good write

[Pete]

so true what you say - there is purpose in everything (even pain).

"Never Look Back Unless You Are Planning to Go That Way." - thoreau

thank you for sharing kind thoughts ... :)

[willweb]

Back again and finding that my friend Pete is still at it and still very good at it, painting, poetry, presenting art for us to share.

[Pete]

thanks much ww. you of all people surely know how to bring a page to life ... :)

[duff]

"even when my spirit won't"
I like that thought. We keep moving no matter what. Great work.

[Pete]

thanks for the kind review stuff duff ... :)