Archive for Poetry
Almost Haiku
Though this poem is seventeen syllables, it’s not really a haiku. But I wanted to try out limiting my syllables and make the poem tight and, of course, heartfelt. I sometimes go on and on in poems, but for this one, I wanted simplicity.
Beholding Wonder
May 7, 2010
As I watch you grow
My tiny bird
You are a wonder to behold…
Tiny Bird
Tiny Bird
By Heather Bartlett
May 5, 2010
I observed your beautiful, unclothed body for hours
Caressing each glowing curve with my eyes
Then, my hands
As an artist
then, a hopeful lover
Wanting to understand your flesh
And find your pleasure
And bring it to you.
The light of day, a distant memory
And soon again rising
You confessed, “I’m tired.”
I smiled and said, “That’s o.k.”
And you leaned forward
In the candlelight
Wisps of hair swayed across your forehead as you bent
Gifting me an unexpected kiss
On the tender flesh
Near the hollow on the inside of my elbow
And in that moment
You let down your guard
And I saw you.
You.
Your naked spirit – in just that brief moment
A tiny bird, which hides among the limbs
There you were, perched upon my branch
And I wanted to hold you
And pet your soft downy feathers
Until you found rest
On my breast
Near my heart
Which has a dream
of healing yours.
Portraits and Headshots
I have been gearing up with the studio to prepare for all sorts of fun and business. I recently had the pleasure of shooting portraits of my mentor, Tammy Vitale.
She has been a huge encouragement to me. I have found over and over that I really enjoy shooting in the studio and trying to bring out the best in somebody. To capture their essence in a way that they are proud to display. It makes me way down happy when a client is overjoyed at the images.
For The Sunlight
If not for the sunlight
today would be dark
shadowy earth
shadowy heart
If not for the sunlight
revealing your contours
I could not worship their angles
their curves
and strong landscapes
once so well known
now too far to reach
If not for the sunlight
I would be frozen
in these cold harsh words
that are new, but long known
and be damned my observations
and be damned your waning resolve
for in this darkness
we are naked in the sunlight
and the threat of another night
full of too stark darkness
but with the promise of the sun’s melting rays
to warm us
to melt away the frost
and reveal the tender buds and blades
waiting underneath
to burst forth
and bask again
where they are thankful
for the sunlight
The Risk
“And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
Interactive Art
I would love it if you would participate with Body Politics.
Read How to Participate at the Body Politics Website
At the moment Tammy Vitale and I are preparing Body Politics for Artomatic and it’s kept me buzzing around.
There are lots of things to do like making fresh prints, buying pens and chalk and figuring out the set-up.
Please, come by and visit the exhibit – it’s free to visit! There is also music, independent films and lots of interesting work.
More Art Adventures
I am pretty excited that I will be taking the Tammy Vitale torso class I mentioned in a recent entry. That’s starts Saturday.
Today I will be working on uploading some of my work to my galleries right here on my art site.
Here is another image I created from layering photos. The models – Rob and Jackie – were photographed in a friend’s secluded yard about seven years ago. It was one of my first photo sessions and I didn’t know a whole lot about lighting and my camera was only 2 or 3megapixels – which isn’t much better than your average cellphone cam.
Here is the outcome of yesterday’s photo adventure. It was called, “Wake Up Little Fairy” before it was altered. I think maybe it’s now called, “Violet Angel 2″ – to see the first Violet Angel, scroll down the page a little to the previous entry.
An Organized Studio
have been complaining for a looooong time that I can’t get my studio organized. It’s been a real pain in the ass trying to get things organized in a way that is functional. I finally FINALLY have done it with help from my family. Amber filed mounds of papers several months ago. Robert is going to file the last bit. Jade helped me organize bins and art supplies. Will put up shelves. I shredded at least six trash bags full of stuff, some of which I’ve had since the early 90s! I don’t know how we’ve managed lately but my house has also stayed clean too. You don’t understand what a magical feat this is for this house. A few new rules have made things so much easier on us all, but mostly me and Will – who end up doing the lion’s share of the housework. That frees up time for me to do…well, work other than housework and mom duties.
Of course no “after” photos are any good without a “before” to go by. So, I dug into my archives and found these photos from 12/07 (click image to see larger versions):
Now – here is the clean studio – ready to CREATE. Everything I need and I will actually be able to FIND IT! I wonder how many other artists struggle with disorganized and zany studio environment? It was really hard to decide what I needed and what needed to go. What was in my way and what was something that actually helped. Sometimes the decision wasn’t that hard, but other times it was hard to let go. After seeing these photos I realize we needed Niecy’s help! LOL!
AFTER
Will brightens up any studio – and not just cuz he put those shelves in!
I Am Sorry I’m Not More Useful
I guess it doesn’t matter anymore…
I’ll say the words and watch them fall to the floor….
To the floor…
To the floor…
Close a window and open a door
Close your heart, just do it once more
Once more…
A door…
The window is to your soul
Too foggy to see through
The pain and the panes
Too easily shattered to hold
The door stays shut
The hinges too tightly wrought
Were rusted closed I thought
Had to learn the hard way that it is by your design
Too hot to handle
Too cold to hold
I am peering over the edge
into the dark hole
You have no faith in me
All of my motions have ulterior motives
All of my love tainted by dramatic and false emotions
Or so you always think…
But it just isn’t so…
Explaining seems like excuses
you never believe me anyway
so I don’t know what is the use is
to pour out my heart like I always do
just to have you stare silently, judgingly, blankly – away
Just…away…
Whether it is bent or broken
Your perceptions and all of these notions
Are not based in what my heart feels
What my soul knows is real
But some distorted carnival mirror reflection of me
that you always seem to see
and believe, over what I tell you is inside of me
So a piece of useful furniture I shall remain
Useful…quiet
What I can do for you – I guess that is love to you
and it will never be enough because it will always come down to
a high school ring
and all of the other things
you think I stole, by not giving
thereby withholding love
and the fabulous life you should be living
I wish it wasn’t this way
but I suppose it is
and I will suffer the consequences of my infidelity
to your pure satisfaction
with proof of love in the shape of things I’ve not given
rather than the love that I provide
I am sorry I’m not more useful
If I were, then maybe we could both be happier
A Long Winter Ahead
Storm clouds gather over this sunny sky
your secrets like towers and whisps of gray
hiding what you won’t share
and taking my trust away
It didn’t erode so slowly, if you will remember, you managed to wipe it out quite easily.
It might have been reasoned in your mind…
We can all reason something if we want to – it’s called denial…
Where was your chivalry then, I wondered, when lies fell like snow
soft and cold andto a constant gray winter in my heart.
Just as the first flower of hope begins to assert its sweet bud from the frost
the cold wind blows again
and it snows again
and it snows.
It has a numbing effect, to be covered in the cold that way.
I don’t suppose it matters anymore.
You try to melt the cold with your anger. At me?
It is your protection from your own long winter ahead.
You only have yourself to blame – I didn’t do this.
I am worthy of your effort to change it.
What is stupid is how it could have been fun.
To joke and talk about it.
To smile at your attractions and desires and share in them with you.
You made it impossible to do that with your snow.
Always with the damned snow…
