THE ARTIST SPEAKS
"Seeds of regret and wonder lie
in every work of hand and eye,"
so said the aged artist
and in his hand and in his eye
lay passports of ancient issue
to cross the barbed borders of time:
“and thus we aspire,” said he,
“to ultimate immortality.”
Know you this, my friend,
We have always found a use
for the artist, though oftentimes
we have not used him well
as with the wild flutter of a butterfly
pinned to the corner of a page.
He continues that he may create
this artist, this maker:
we should give him disciples, rapt and wide-eyed.
If worst comes to worst, or best to best,
he will endure.
And also know, and mark it well,
that he who fashions prayers and dreams
and fantasies not always light and pretty
does not precisely pick and choose
but offers these erstwhile prayers
high enough to shadow heaven
or shine a living light in hell.
And, further, you should understand
he pleases you who cannot his own self please.
He husbands energy
and has no hand free to hold:
though he may court the bloody tyrant
or decorate the court with ruby tears.
Listen well: he speaks with sweet breath -
a zephyr in a tempest.
He has given us but a frail hold
on the mundane unrealities:
trees that breathe
and the picturesque gluttony of fools
and wisdom too.
And love as it hardly was:
still and unchanging
constantly made and never had.
In a list
A contest entry
- Contest ( Mark Twain quote) by Stickboy.
1050 points, ended November 1, 8 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 7 of 7
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Loved this.Things are pretty bad right now in life, society and the world in general but there is still something about the human race, the artists, the writers, the philosophers, the musicians,the brave, the selfless and the ordinary that is special, always has been, through time,and always will be.I hope this is what will get us all through.This is what your poem seems to say to me.Fantastic use of words.Montey
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What a lovely comment - so in tune with my philosophy.
Diolch yn fawr [thanks very much - Welsh]
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The final three lines seem to capture it all for me. "constantly made and never had" .... yes.... note to self.... point in another direction.
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When I was growing up, between two brothers, I used to pretend that I was Huckleberry Finn and would float down the river on a very small raft we'd built for hours on end.
I have always loved Mark Twain. One of his quotations, I posted in the college library where
I worked for over 12 years: "A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read." His contribution to our society, both literary and in general, cannot be underestimated in the least. This is such a wonderful tribute to his genius, and to your own, Mike. Best of luck in the contest, my Friend. 
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Thank you for a wonderful compliment
Mike
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really enjoyed reading this... love your take on the prompt
thanks for entering, best of luck
Sean
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Diolch yn fawr - thanks very much [Welsh]
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