I did not become an artist
Spun from a spiral lost angle
Drifting between heart and soul and mind
The muse entwined in mine
Exploration of the corridoors between vision and insight
A sexually simbiotic existence of mindfucks from my muse
That stimulate my senses with colors my eyes can't see
Yet my heart continually pumps through unseen wings
Lifting me to heights where there is no air to breathe
Here I feel more alive than when walking the Earth alone
Touching nature with my hands to see how it feels
Watching birds sing songs too far away to hear
And though my muse never touches my flesh, she caresses me
Her thoughts are songs no birds know the notes to exhale
She strokes my ego giving me the strength to write her verse
Into the words I hear silently surging through my ears
I sense the sound, I see her voice, I smell her breathe pass over my soul
Her genetic code is painted on the walls of forgotten caves
From times before man was supposed to be unborn
When no woman was torn from his ribs to inspire the flames of creation
Yet we are artists all
From before we were born, in spirals of DNA
Connecting spirits on the ladder of life
Imbuing a spark into our hearts to express our pain
Tear drops fall from clouded eyes as our storm begins to rain
I did not have to become an artist
Roared the thunder through my veins
I never chose to be a troubadour
It's just that I was born this way

07/22/2012

Author's Note: http://astore.amazon.com/seedsandweeds-20 - There was a contest on another poetry site to respond to the following quote from the book, White Oleander by American author Janet Fitch: “Remember it all, every insult, every tear. Tattoo it on the inside of your mind. In life, knowledge of poisons is essential. I've told you, nobody becomes an artist unless they have to.” But after giving it some thought, I could not disagree more with that concept. Never having read the book, I am insure of the context of the statement, so I decided not to enter the poem. I also had not read the guidlines for the contest, as the quote got my mind churning on the idea of becoming an artist and so as it turned out, I could not have entered it anyway, but it did inspire me to write at a time when my inspirations are few and far between, as are my moments of clarity. So I try to take advanyage of them when they do happen. JJ - - http://astore.amazon.com/seedsandweeds-20

Posted on 08/22/2012
Copyright © 2026 JJ Johnson