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an ode scraped off the bottom of Mr. Everest
by Philip F De Pinto
who was standing on tippy toe
at the time and
who makes its way in the world
in Michael Jordans and not bare footed
as was previously thought:
and so with this misconception in mind
I find that
the difference between you and I
if there was a difference and a between
or an I or a you
is that you just hated for paint to dry
you didn't want to be reminded that this
could happen to you
paint which just cried out for drying
not because drying was anything anyone desired
but because drying meant rest at last
something not in your ken to understand
who was always in flux
who would always leave the beaten eggs in a bowl
rather than solidify them in a frying pan
let eggs ever remain in flux you'd say
and if that is the case
I say why not just leave them in their ovules
in their tubes
rather than have them fry in their pans
or on their canvases
let paint remain in flux forever and ever
rather than have it under house arrest
which frying and drying meant to you
what you simply failed to understand about paint
is that drying to paint meant rest - not final
just a respite as birds do on branches
hell! paint and birds have earned their rest
and place to respite
while the artist in you
who just loved being in you
if you know what I mean
who was ever in flux
decides the painting is not finished
and squeezes out more paint on the palette
so as to roll that paint over its own kin
who are not playing possum only respiting
until the artist in you decides another coat of paint
is in order and one after another is applied
and if you could feel what an artist feels or paint
and if you could peel the dermis off the Himalayas
you will see the countless layers and perches beneath
where birds and paint have rested
which you mistook for final rest
and that is what you were running from
from the fact our paint was drying
faster than we could squeeze it on a palette
drying which meant only respite not final rest
or the lingering flesh of ghosts impaled on a thumb nail
and where would the likes of you and I be
if god out of some drying fear
had decided not to squeeze the tubes
but to leave the ovules only beaten in their bowls
rather than toss them in the big universal drying pan?
12/13/2013 Posted on 12/13/2013
Copyright © 2024 Philip F De Pinto
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Alison McKenzie on 12/13/13 at 08:46 PM Yes, I see what you mean. |
| Posted by George Hoerner on 12/14/13 at 08:11 PM Wonderful Philip! So few of us have the combination of vision and feeling that you have. |
| Posted by Quentin S Clingerman on 01/05/14 at 10:18 PM Makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time! Wonderful mixture of analogy and symbolism. |
| Posted by Kate Demeree on 02/05/14 at 12:11 AM Well.... this makes me want to giggle at times it reminds me very much of.... me *grin* On some of my rather high on living days |
| Posted by June Labyzon on 02/16/14 at 02:20 PM This may indeed be one of the most beautiful pieces you'e ever written....
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