Monday, May 31, 2010

they know me as their son

here the blue river

robert spencer flowing water

and these the fields
over whose flowers i chased the butterfly
where overhead the ancient crows
hold their conversation in the sky

berthe morrisot grain field

these are the same, but i am not the same

these trees and stones are audible to me
these idle flowers, that tremble in the wind
the wind that rustles down the well-known forest road
the stream, the trees, the grass, the sighing wind

they know me as their son

arthur wesley dow at evening

text comprised of reassembled elements of ralph waldo emerson's "the river"

16 comments:

Pauline said...

who we are and how others see us - always there is this difference. Beautiful and thought provoking, as always

Elisabeth said...

To me Steven, this is a wonderful evocation of the process of aging. Thank you.

Dan Gurney said...

Okay, that's going right into my journal. This is the perfect post. I'm sending Mindful Heart readers over here.

steven said...

pauline that's something i was sharing ideas with my class about this very morning! they are all too aware of the fact that they know themselves very differently to the perceptions of all others. it's frustrating that we can't just be who we are. steven

steven said...

elisabeth - i had that in mind as well as the idea of being entirely who you are and then also and most deeply, being open to this world. steven

steven said...

dan thankyou so much for this very generous comment. steven

Linda Sue said...

You choose the best paintings! I would love to follow you around in the TATE someday...

Reya Mellicker said...

I look at these paintings and I am in awe. How could any living human create these works of beauty? Wow.

steven said...

linda sue - i've got a big bike ride this summer (as you know!), a trip to iceland in 2011, then 2012 who knows!!! check in then. steven

steven said...

reya - i'm really grateful that you let your awe shine through. i am filed with awe for the artists whose work i get to share here - really i am!!! steven

Von said...

Beaut post, thank you.I'm posting a link to oncewasvon hope that's ok.

Lori ann said...

Hi Steven,
i've enjoyed this very much, the lovely words, paintings and the kind and interesting comments. I'm intrigued about your bike ride, i see the link for africycle now, so i'm off to have a look.
lori

steven said...

hello and welcome von!! i'm rally glad that you enjoyed the words and paintings here. i like visiting here myself!!!! steven

steven said...

hi lori ann - thanks for visiting. i'm really excited about the africycle ride. it's 1000 kilometres plus in ten days. a long way but it's in really good company and apparently it's also through some really beautiful countryside so i'm hoping to get lots of good stories and photographs and post the whole thing over on my biking blog "cycles" which is linked off the top righthand corner of this page. see you again. steven

Tess Kincaid said...

This was a lovely treat! Thank you, Steven. xx

Golden West said...

Stopping by is always such a treat, Steven. Each post even lovelier and more evocative (and provocative!) than the last.