Maxims for a Refugee Artist (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, April 18, 2024, feast day of the “Maximov” Icon of the Mother of God, (above) Blessed Marie of the Incarnation (mere Marie), Blessed Maria Anna Blondin, Saint Agia of Hainault, Saint Athanasia of Aegina (of star miracle), and Blessed Savina Petrilli (..."vowed not to complain deliberately about external and internal afflictions, and vowed to completely abandon herself to the will of the Father"). On Jewish calendar today is Miriam's Passing (1274 BC), and Israelites Cross Jordan (1273 BC). Image from here.)

Maxims for a Refugee Artist

(after John Keats)

Beauty is truth, truth beauty—that is all

                you know on earth, and all you need to know.

Patience is prayer, prayer patience---that is how

                you sow on earth, and all you need to sow. 

Art is an unfolding, unfolding an art -- that is the only way open

just now, but the only way you need go.

*See John Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn”

**From combined prompts: Freewrite as inspired by Daisy Barrett's Writers At Play winter series in January 2024, in which after writing down what experiences instinctively come to you when looking back on each month of the past year (even if simply holidays and weather), scan to find metaphors that hold one's experiences last year (one that holds challenge, then using another angle of looking at this image to find one of promise; my eg refugee and artist) and carrying these images somehow into the new year with a poem. Further prompting from “Try to Praise the Mutilated World” by Adam Zagajewski, from Lisa Freedman’s BreathReadWrite, April 18, 2024. Also inspired by a Lenten homily from about a month ago, (I believe was from Father Justin Huang of Saint Anthony of Padua Parish, Vancouver: “Our normal rhythm of life is not present anymore.... We have crammed more things into 24 hours than we used to do in three or four days. And it doesn't work. We get unhappy, we get impatient…”)

Earth-glance (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, April 14, 2024, feast day of Our Lady of Kamalen/Guam, Blessed Virgin of Grace (Italy, Robegano district apparition, 1534), the (above) Vil'na Icon of the Mother of God and Saint Lydwina of Schiedam. Image from here.)

Earth-glance

Dance of sun upon dew, morning

new-–to-do’s ancient:

--clear the head

--make the bed

--birds to feed

--set on the tea

If moon hasn’t set quite yet 

she surely will—

with promise to refill

when stars surround. 

*From prompt: Free write as inspired by “I love you. I miss you. Please get out of my house.” by Donika Kelly.

From Lisa Freedman’s BreatheReadWrite, April 14, 2024.

Unfinished (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, April 14, 2024, feast day of Our Lady of Kamalen/Guam, Blessed Virgin of Grace (Italy, Robegano district apparition, 1534; somewhat related image above), the Vil'na Icon of the Mother of God and Saint Lydwina of Schiedam. Image from here.)

Unfinished

task (n.): from Latin tasca, “ a duty, assessment”

Joseph’s boat (see it just out back window, his tools tossed round nearby) Seeds as yet planted, lying out front door here on the porch My schedule needing weeding A partially filled commemoration list, prayers for the living and departed (shouldn’t this be topping the list?) Yet to be covered books Snoozed emails Jumbled papers Crowding in my head Paintbrushes patient, nudging My arms, they need s o m e b r e a t h i n g s l o w f i l l b u o y a n t -- m o s t

w e l c o m e b a l l o o n

*From prompt: Free write as inspired by “My Sister, Who Died Young, Takes Up the Task” by Jon Pineda, and the etymology of “task”. From Lisa Freedman’s BreatheReadWrite, April 14, 2024.