Quite stunning, polished smooth by nature’s forces. By grace.

And again, the other side of her.  I like to think she’s sharing her life’s experiences.

Sometimes stitches are required to make the body whole. Sometimes the stitching is signature and fingerprint.

And the poem, you ask?   As soon as I held her, I was reminded of the last 5 lines of my poem, Toujours:

what remains when everything gone?

skin’s intricate labyrinth

remember

always compliment the stitching

each day add an accent of red

PS.  Should you put this rock against a candle, you have the synergy of earth & sky.  The evening is good.

Sometimes the answer is simple, direct, even playful. A not-quite 10-year is my go-to for inspiration.

Here he is — adorable, pensive, quizzical. His name is haiku:

& here again after an extremely early and full morning contemplating steam rising from the teteapot, he yawns

Simply gaze into his mouth.  Proof plenty that the short poem is a minimalist epic.

All art is manipulated.  Each and every time.  Happy accidents abound.  Let me introduce you to Phyllis Bonner’s photography.  Two images — one straight-forward and lovely —

and below that photo manipulated by a software program.  WOW! You have 4 weeks left to see Phyllis’s show, “Mother Nature in Photos!” at AWE Gallery (678 Portola Drive, SF — next to the Purple church).

Let me put your mind to rest.  Phyllis’s art is for sale!  And while you’re marveling at her work make sure you spend time seeing the ongoing exhibit of the 6 women AWE Collective artists:  Stacy Boorn, Susan Black, Kit Kennedy, Chris Kibre, Alice Steele, and Janet Stock.  A Women’s Eye  — fine art @ affordable prices.

You ask, how is a poem manipulated?  Through editing.  To me editing is nothing more (or less) than simple math — addition & subtraction.  For several years my practice included writing one phrase/or line a day.  Twice a month I review those lines & combine and submit to an online poetry group of which I’m a member.  Here are the lines I selected:

5/8/13   was flesh exchanged?
5/11/13  which words will stick today?
5/16/13 of all things the hand can hold
5/24/13  & then then there were 2 women, 3 hats, several scarves

Now, the edited poem:

OF ALL THINGS THE HAND CAN HOLD

which words will stick today?

suddenly
without
provocation
there
were
2
women
3
hats
several
scarves

was flesh exchanged?

Who said poetry isn’t fun.  Do the math!