The Beekeeper, 2008

Take me to the brim of self
Where truth and dream collide
I’ve made a ladder from the shelf
Where my sadness likes to hide

Take me to the edge of time
Where Sufis softly whirl
In the belly of a shell
Where pain will
render me a pearl
dropping jewels like rain
From the mantle of my hell

I want to be free of names
the body is just
The dying posture of a song
Always suckling dust for milk
Trading bits of fire for silk
Then going up in shimmering flames
So soft, this breath
A constant death
a teasing of the veins
I love it, still.

Temenos, I have heard of you
In the heartbeat of a bee
Once you trickled thick into my throat
And kept my lifeless limbs afloat
On your propolis voiced sea

I’ve been all wrapped up in bee energy lately, primarily as a result of being absolutely absorbed by the book: The Shamanic Way of The Bee: Ancient Wisdom And Healing Practices Of The Bee Masters. The above image and poem were inspired by the poetic revelations of ancient wisdom contained in this unusual book. I have always had a fascination with both apiology and shamanism, but never realized that there was an ancient practice than ran between the two. It only makes sense. In the story of the bee there are a million metaphors and perceptions waiting to be peeled back. You’ll notice I’ve also added a bee to the top of this blog. I think they have become my totem insect, if there is such a thing. I had started taking bee pollen and royal jelly a few weeks ago, and then this book literally fell into my hands. Triple ironic is the name of the gallery where I am having my show in August is called “The Hive”. Funny how certain themes work their way into our lives! I

I am honored to have received a two page feature in the Summer 2008 issue of Life Images magazine. Life Images is published by Stampington & Company, which publishes some of my favorite art magazines…so I was especially excited when I was invited by the editor to have not only one of my self-portraits featured, but a poem as well! They also have included me in the Behind The Lens feature of the magazine, which features brief biographies of selected artists from that issue. My first print publication. YAY!

You should be able to find this magazine in the art section of your local Borders and Barnes & Noble. This issue is a really stunning one, packed with incredible photography and poetry by artists all over the world.

The image that I chose was Self Portrait As Memory, coupled with the following poem:

the heart does not speak of beats
i know you feel what words could never say
time and tide dictate the whittling of the day
in advances and retreats
some day we will be free

we are mirrors broken
every one
throwing veins of light
against the sun

in my garden bower
a heliotrope throws itself to the ground

i cannot tell you the taste of it
love is an animal that eats the tongue
and never makes a sound

My hero is gone.

Last night I was shocked and deeply saddened to read the news that Utah Phillips passed away at the end of May. I normally make a habit of checking up on the news surrounding Utah, but several months went by without my looking to see what was new, and my heart sunk last night while looking to see if he was on tour and finding out he had passed away of a heart attack on May 23rd. Utah was a living hero for me and someone whom I held very, very close to my heart. My world seems to have a big void in it upon hearing of his passing…he represented such hope to me, such righteousness and inspiration. There never was nor will there ever be another soul with the specific blend of kindness, humor, compassion and wisdom as Utah Phillips.

I don’t even know how to explain this amazing man to those of you who are not familiar with his work. Here is an excerpt from Amy Goodman’s Democracy Now program in dedication to Utah Phillips. Consequently, if you are interested in seeing interviews with Utah, this set of videos of the program recently posted on Youtube in memory of him are well worth a big cup of tea and an hour of your life. I promise you will walk away smiling, inspired, and touched by the powerful spirit of this man.

Utah Phillips, the legendary folk musician and peace and labor activist, has died at the age of seventy-three. Over the span of nearly four decades, Utah Phillips worked in what he referred to as “the Trade,” performing tirelessly throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. The son of labor organizers, Phillips was a lifelong member of the Industrial Workers of the World, known as the Wobblies. As a teenager, he ran away from home and started living as a hobo who rode the rails and wrote songs about his experiences. In 1956, he joined the Army and served in the Korean War, an experience he would later refer to as the turning point of his life. In 1968, he ran for the US Senate on the Peace and Freedom Party ticket. For the past twenty-one years he lived in Nevada City, where he started a nationally syndicated folk music radio show. He also helped found the Hospitality House homeless shelter and the Peace and Justice Center.

I can’t shake this feeling of grief since reading of his passing last night. In a way, I feel that his passing represents the death of an era, a feeling, a fight. But I know in the deepest parts of my heart that this isn’t true. There are others who will carry on his work and his message, and I hope that I can live my life in such a way as to be one of them. I’ve never had close relationships with my grandparents, and in my ideal world, I would have had a grandfather like Utah. I suppose he became one to me in an indirect sort of way, through his words and music, which I devoured for years and years. He taught me so much and it wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that I am a better person because of him.

I had the great blessing of seeing him in person for the first time last year at the University Of Rhode Island. It was a small, intimate crowd and something that I had looked forward to for a long time. Vee and I still remember that night fondly as the most inspiring night we have ever had in Rhode Island. I tend to be a shy person at times, and it now is my great regret that I didn’t approach him, shake his hand, and simply say “Thank you.”

Thank you Utah. You will be greatly missed.

Utah recites a poem that everyone needs to hear….

Here are the rules for the Arte y Pico Award:

1) Award five blogs that contribute to the blogging community through creativity, design, and interesting material, regardless of language.

Here are my five selections for the Arte y Pico Award!

Bad Kitty Art Studio: Right back atcha! Heather always sends my mind right into orbit with her work, which often speaks to my subconscious in surprising and enlightening ways. This is sacred, visionary art. For me, visiting her blog and viewing her amazing artwork is like entering a room of kindred spirits…comforting and filled with revelations.

The Wild Pomegranate: The Wild Pomegranate is a beautiful unfolding of art, beauty and reflections. I always enjoy trips to Grace’s blog. Posts are always eclectic and varied….from discussions about the current state of the planet, to personal diary-style musings. I always enjoy looking through the great discussions that go on in her “comments” sections! She is a woman with a tremendous zest for life, and I often walk away so inspired by her words and passion.

Sibyllae: Sibyllae is an amazing soul-friend of many years. She is an inspiring, magical soul whose unique beauty infuses everything she touches. She hasn’t updated her blog in quite some time, but there are a lot of wonderful older posts to peruse through.

Gypsy-Heart: An artist whose ability to convey the delicacies of light in her paintings gives me chills every time. Her artwork is visibly alive and embodied with reflections of her beautiful soul, which comes through in her words and musing. Another eye-inspiring and heart-inspiring blog from which I usually walk away from feeling refreshed and inspired!

Obvious Personal Cargo: I am awarding this blog because it is so fantastic, and I need to remind myself I need to visit it more often. The author previously kept a blog called “Huge Entity”, which I’ve always enjoyed perusing through. This blog features fascinating journeys through culture, consciousness, perception, and myth.

“Do you not know that there comes a midnight hour when every one has to throw off his mask? Do you believe that life will always let itself be mocked? Do you think you can slip away a little before midnight in order to avoid this? Or are you not terrified by it? I have seen men in real life who so long deceived others that at last their true nature could not reveal itself;… In every man there is something which to a certain degree prevents him from becoming perfectly transparent to himself; and this may be the case in so high a degree, he may be so inexplicably woven into relationships of life which extend far beyond himself that he almost cannot reveal himself. But he who cannot reveal himself cannot love, and he who cannot love is the most unhappy man of all.” - Kierkegaard

I recently submitted this self-portrait to the JPG magazine contest themed “On Stage”. The winning photo is determined by votes, so please help me out and vote for this photo!

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I probably won’t post again until next week, so in the meantime, have a great weekend everyone!