Mary Oliver, Today’s Poem Inspiration
I usually read some poetry everyday to help me enter a meditative state of mind for making artwork. Today I read this:
Mozart, for Example
All the quick notes
Mozart didn’t have time to use
before he entered the cloud boatare falling now from the beaks
of the finches
that have gathered from the joyous summerinto the hard winter
and, like Mozart, they speak of nothing
but light and delight,though it is true, the heavy blades of the world
are still pounding underneath.
And this is what you can do too, maybe,
if you live simply and with a lyrical heart
in the cumbered neighborhoods or even,
as Mozart sometimes managed to, in a palace,offering tune after tune after tune,
making some hard-hearted prince
prudent and kind, just by being happy.
-Mary, from Thirst
Artists often work in isolation and sometimes it can feel like your work has no purpose or meaning. This poem makes me remember that the subtle effects of art on a viewer can be very important.
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Sunday, February 21st, 2010,
by Painter of Blue and is filed under "Making art, Mary Oliver, Prayer, Making art, Mary Oliver, Mozart, Poerty ".
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4 Responses “Mary Oliver, Today’s Poem Inspiration”
What a lovely post! A lovely poem and yes it is wonderful to know that although we are isolated when we work we are a community that reaches many.
Thank you, dear Sybil.
Jan´s last blog ..Pet Pictures
The difficulty and also the great beauty of being an artist is the solitude. I was listening to Mozart’s sublime Requiem, yesterday.
Princess Haiku´s last blog ..dance, the flowering trees, said Princess Haiku
Twitter: twitter.com/gerardinebaugh
says:
but light and delight”
Thank you for posting this poem. Just that one line added light to my day.
Have a great day! I am so glad I found you.
Gerardine
Gerardine Baugh´s last blog ..I walked towards the apple trees and decided the snow, which was making farting noises with each step, wasn’t amusing. My husband would find the humor in it! ~