I WILL LEAVE YOU SOFTLY...

Art: Abandoned by Luigi Nono

~
Softly, I will leave you softly
For my heart would break if you should wake and see me go
So I leave you softly, long before you miss me
Long before your arms can beg me stay
For one more hour or one more day
After all the years, I can't bear the tears to fall
So, softly as I leave you there

(Softly, long before you kiss me)
(Long before your arms can beg me stay)
(For one more hour) or one more day
After all the years, I can't bear the tears to fall
So, softly as I leave you there
As I leave I you there
As I leave I you there

~
Writers: Hal Shaper and Antonio DeVita and Giorgio Calabrese

~

These are the lyrics to one of the most tender songs I know. If you would like to hear it scroll down to my music player and click on song 104.

It was written about a man who is dying of cancer...which makes it all the more tender.

I first heard it as when I was young and have loved for many years...enjoy.

TO FOLLOW YOUR STAR...

art by Magnaldo

~
Wise men will tell you to follow your star
where ever it leads you no matter how far,
down highways and by way, along distant shores,
climb all the mountains, breech all the doors.

Sparkling bright in an indigo sky
Billions of stars stand patiently by
Waiting to show you which way to go
How do you ever know which star is yours

~
DSW 10

ROCK ME TO SLEEP...

Rock Me To Sleep, Mother
~
BACKWARD, turn backward, O Time, in your flight, Make me a child again, just for to-night! Mother, come back from the echoless shore, Take me again to your heart as of yore; Kiss from my forehead the furrows of care, Smooth the few silver threads out of my hair; Over my slumbers your loving watch keep - Rock me to sleep, mother - rock me to sleep!

Backward, flow backward, O tide of the years! I am so weary of toil and of tears - Toil without recompense - tears all in vain - Take them, and give me my childhood again ! I have grown weary of dust and decay - Weary of flinging my soul-wealth away; Weary of sowing for others to reap - Rock me to sleep, mother - rock me to sleep...

...Mother, dear mother, the years have been long Since I last listened to your lullaby song; Sing, then, and unto my heart it shall seem Womanhood's years have been only a dream; Clasped to your heart in a loving embrace, With your light lashes just sweeping my face, Never hereafter to wake or to weep -
Rock me to sleep mother - rock me to sleep!

~

BY FLORENCE PERCY.

~

I love this poem it reminds me of my Great Grandmother who was always so dear to me. When ever we went to visit she always made me feel loved. I don't think we ever left her house without some of her homemade bottled raspberries and her frosted sugar cookies with sprinkles.

PLEASE SING...

art by Marvin Steel
~
Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.

~

Henry David Thoreau

~

This is so true...and sad it is that every person has a song to sing...but only a few find someone to listen...thank you for listening to my song...for I love hearing yours.

THE SMILE...

There is a Smile of Love
And there is a Smile of Deceit
And there is a Smile of Smiles
In which these two Smiles meet
And there is a Frown of Hate
And there is a Frown of Disdain
And there is a Frown of Frowns
Which you strive to forget in vain
For it sticks in the Heart’s deep Core
And it sticks in the deep Back bone
And no Smile that ever was smil’d
But only one Smile alone
That betwixt the Cradle & Grave
It only once Smil’d can be
But when it once is Smil’d
There’s an end to all Misery
~
by William Blake

~

An intriguing poem...What smile do you think he is talking about that puts an end to all misery?

A YEAR IN ART...PART 2...

July
May

April
~

Here are some more of the monthly pictures I painted for my kids for Christmas. June's picture is still a work in progress. I tried to do a variety of different mediums that I enjoy to keep it interesting.

I painted the May picture specifically for my granddaughter so she could have fun finding all the bugs...click on it to enlarge it...and see how many you can find.

YEARS OF SOLITUDE...

To the one who sets a second place at the table anyway.
To the one at the back of the empty bus.
To the ones who name each piece of stained glass projected on a white wall.
To anyone convinced that a monologue is a conversation with the past.
To the one who loses with the deck he marked.
To those who are destined to inherit the meek.
To us.

~

by DIONISIO MARTINEZ

TO SEE THE WORLD IN A GRAIN OF SAND...

art by Elisabetta Trevisan

~
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.

~
by William Blake

~

I love how this verse and this picture feel...they seem to have the same reverence and touch my heart the same way.

PINE~ING AWAY...

art by Rob Gonsalve

Old Women Trees

The pine needles click…
Click…knitting stray wisps of wind
Into scarves of song.

~
by Dorothy Marie Davis

SAID THE SPIDER TO THE FLY...

Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly,
'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I've a many curious things to shew when you are there."
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."


"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"


Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, " Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome -- will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "kind Sir, that cannot be,
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"


"Sweet creature!" said the Spider, "you're witty and you're wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you 're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."


The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple -- there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"

Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue --
Thinking only of her crested head -- poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour -- but she ne'er came out again!


And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.
~
The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt
The Smiling Spider charcoal by Odilon Redon hangs in the Louve, in Paris

INVERSION...

Faded mountain silhouettes arise

like ink stains in the dawn.

Pale grey-pink sunrise wash

a landscape through chiffon.

DSW 10

DREAM BIG...

When you cry be sure to dry your eyes
'Cause better days are sure to come
And when you smile be sure to smile wide
Don't let them know that they have won
And when you walk, walk with pride
Don't show the hurt inside
Because the pain will soon be gone

And when you dream, dream big
As big as the ocean blue
'Cause when you dream it might come true
When you dream, dream big

When you laugh be sure to laugh out loud
'Cause it will carry all your cares away
And when you see, see the beauty all around and in yourself
And it'll help you feel okay
And when you pray, pray for strength
To help you carry on
When the troubles come your way

And when you dream, dream big
As big as the ocean blue
'Cause when you dream it might come true
When you dream, dream big

~

These are the lyrics to one of my many favorite songs...written by Ryan Shupe. If you would like to hear it...go to my music player and click on song 119...I hope it makes you smile BIG.

ODE TO JONI...

Oh I am a lonely painter
I live in a box of paints
I'm frightened by the devil
And I'm drawn to those ones that ain't afraid
I remember that time that you told me, you said
Love is touching souls
Surely you touched mine
Cause part of you pours out of me
In these lines from time to time

Oh you're in my blood like holy wine
You taste so bitter and so sweet
Oh I could drink a case of you darling
Still I'd be on my feet
I would still be on my feet

~

art & lyrics by Joni Mitchell

~

I have enjoyed so many of her songs for so long...no one says it or sings it quite like Joni Mitchell.

THE PLEASANT LAND OF COUNTERPANE...

art by Jesse Wilcox Smith
~
The Land of Counterpane

When I was sick and lay a-bed,
I had two pillows at my head,
And all my toys beside me lay
To keep me happy all the day.
And sometimes for an hour or so
I watched my leaden soldiers go,
With different uniforms and drills,
Among the bed-clothes, through the hills;
And sometimes sent my ships in fleets
All up and down among the sheets;
Or brought my trees and houses out,
And planted cities all about.
I was the giant great and still
That sits upon the pillow-hill,
And sees before him, dale and plain,
The pleasant land of counterpane.

by Robert Lewis Stevenson

~

Remember the days before TVs, video games and computers in every bedroom? When you were sick you stayed in bed and played with small toys or colored or read.

I love the works of Robert Lewis Stevenson and Jesse Wilcox Smith. Their art always elicits a sort of longing in me for the innocence and simple pleasures of yesteryear...our childhood lost...Happy memories.

A YEAR IN ART..PART 1...

March
February

January
~

Now that Christmas is over and the gifts have been opened I can show you what I have been working on the last little while.

Jamie & Kalen asked me for a picture frame for there living room and wanted me to create pictures to change out for each month of the year...here are the first three months. I have really enjoyed the challenge of coming up with something different for each month and being able to work in several different mediums.

The February collage is special because it is made up of some of my Dads childhood Valentines from about 1930.

I am still working on June and August and will share those and the rest as we go along.

2010...DAY 1...

Welcome to 2010...

What's your dream?