The Kiss

Tags

blanket of gold, embrace, eternal love, patchwork, the kiss

  

Gustav Klimt (July 14, 1862 – February 6, 1918)

 

Among the many pictures

etched in my memory,

not all of them speak to me,

tell me stories or inspire me

to write new ones

this one depicts an eternal moment

of an embrace and a kiss

between a man and a woman

wrapped in a shimmering blanket of gold,

embroidered with a kaleidoscope of beads

Like the hews of the once vibrant carpet at their feet,

the painter, the models and

the influential patchwork have faded into the past,

yet the painting remains

to remind us of that first moment of bliss

between a lover and his beloved

carrying the sparkle of love

into eternity forever.

 

 

 

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Mushka

Tags

change, doubt, faith, fear, guidance, hope, ideas, insight, inspiration, limbo, motivation, muse, mystery, perception, uncertainty

 

Mushka was a character from a dream,

mystery the underlying theme

I looked for her everywhere

she was nowhere to be seen

One day when life became threatening,

obscure and unpromising,

as fear and uncertainty forced me

into a state of limbo on a park bench

she appeared, holding a paper bag in her hand

and sat next to me

 

Opening the bag, she offered me a sandwich

and a drink, and asked, “Why so pensive?”

“I don’t know what to do,” I said.

“Are you seeking guidance?”

“Can you show me the right way?”

“Right or wrong is a matter of perception,

it depends on who you are.”

unwrapping the plastic cover of her lunch,

she bit off the corner of the bread and munched

 

“I no longer know who I am,

the dream thieves have stolen my ideas

and hopes.”

“You must have let them in, ” she said

and sipped her drink.

I pondered on that as I watched her eat,

Did I not lock the doors and the windows,

did I allow them to intrude my mind?

Doubt must have done that,

perhaps by defeating Faith.

“I must find her to get back on the right track.”

“When you do, you’ll have the answer,

but eat your lunch first, an empty stomach

is a poor start for seeking insight.”

 

I turned my head, the seat was empty,

Mushka had disappeared,

the only evidence of her presence, a paper bag

holding the wrappings of her inspiration sandwich

and an empty carton of motivation juice.

Darkness

Tags

apathy, collective consciousness, darkness, discomfort, heat, indifference, introvert, limbo, permanent gloom, temporary weather conditions, tolerance, unnatural atmosphere

 

It’s dark and the stars are hiding

behind a veil of mist

even the moon seems paler than before

sweet slumber beckons

yet, it’s impossible to sleep in comfort

in the humid atmosphere,

despite the toils of the ceiling fans

 

the neighbours have retired to their homes

no one is outdoors, lingering with a drink

over chit-chat on trivia

and how to save the world.

 

 

Laughter seems to have escaped from our lives,

uncertainty, fear and doubt

have turned us into introverts,

seeking comfort in our own shells.

 

I try to close my eyes and sleep,

I can’t, the heat is unbearable,

maybe it’s time to seal the doors and windows

of my private shell and turn on the a/c.

 

I lie in my bed, soaking up the cool air,

through my cells, into my system

maybe that’s what the neighbours are doing, as well,

creating an unnatural atmosphere

to cope with the prevailing one.

 

Are they sleeping,

or are they contemplating like me?

Are we in a state of limbo, apathy,

as we appear to be,

or can we do

something about this?

 

I know we cannot change the weather,

but we can try to alter the circumstances

of uncertainty and doom

that threaten our existence,

which in turn might increase our tolerance

for the temporary conditions

of extreme heat and discomfort.

 

It’s worth trying,

unless we are inclined to allow this darkness

to last forever.