Tag: poetry

Sculpting Light

The difference between a good artist and a great one is:
The novice will often lay down his tool or brush, then pick up an invisible club on the mind’s table and helplessly smash the easels and jade. Whereas the vintage man no longer hurts himself or anyone and keeps on sculpting light. ~ Hafiz

I wanted to put my head through my drawing table today. Despite the end results and the delight I see on the faces of collectors, being an artist isn’t easy. Some days I just want to throw in the towel. But then I remember there isn’t anything else in life that I’m remotely interested in doing. Nothing else makes my eyes light up or stirs my soul like creating art and seeing others creating art. I’m fascinated with the imagination, artistry and creativity. I’m the type of person who wants to see the concept art and storyboards for a movie more than the actual movie. I want to see and know how things are made not just marvel at the finished results. So this spirit of art and creativity is just in me through and through but it’s not always an easy spirit to live with. Sometimes I wonder why I couldn’t have been someone interested in numbers and went off to become an accountant? Or something a bit more, dare I say…practical. But that just isn’t how I was made, so I guess I’ll just keep sculpting light.

A Blanket To Protect You

“Your love
Should never be offered to the mouth
Of a Stranger,
Only to someone
Who has the valor and daring
To cut pieces of their soul off with a knife
Then weave them into a blanket
To protect you.” ~ Hafiz

Everyone isn’t entitled access to the inner workings of your soul. Only those who have earned the privilege should be given a peek into the mystery of your being.

It’s Your Life

Sometimes you don’t need to go looking for inspiration to keep cultivating your path in life. Sometimes inspiration will find you. 

My source of inspiration that I want to share with you today comes in Charles Bukowski’s poem “No Leaders Please”, which popped up in my “recommendations” feed on Youtube. I guess the algorithm figured I’d like Bukowski after all the Alan Watts I had been watching. 😊

Invent yourself and then reinvent yourself,

don’t swim in the same slough.

Invent yourself and then reinvent yourself,

and 

stay out of the clutches of mediocrity.
Invent yourself and then reinvent yourself,

change your tone and shape so often that 

they can never

categorize you.
Reinvigorate yourself and

accept what is

but only on the terms that you have 

invented

and reinvented.
Be self-taught.
And reinvent your life because you must;

it is your life and

its history

and the present,

belong only to

you.

~ Charles Bukowski