I came across the below poem on Edie Kugler's site, What We Create (thank you for introducing this beautiful poem to me Edie). It's one of those poems that immediately gave me chills and I knew I had to share. It reminds me so much of a poem very close to my heart, How to Paint a Donkey, a poem I've introduced here on a few occasions and that inspired my "Just Right" donkey painting.
Get really quiet for a minute and ask yourself: What would I do/create today if I listened to that deepest place in my heart? If there was no such thing as a mistake? If I couldn't fail? If I allowed myself to be fully free? If I trusted that whatever I did/created would be just right?
"Just Right"
Purple
by Alexis Rotella
In first grade Mrs. Lohr
said my purple tipi
wasn't realistic enough,
that purple was no color
for a tent,
that purple was a color
for people who died,
that my drawing wasn't
good enough
to hang with the others.
I walked back to my seat
counting the swish swish swishes
of my baggy corduroy trousers.
With a black crayon
nightfall came
to my purple tent
in the middle of an afternoon.
In second grade Mr. Barta
said draw anything;
he didn't care what.
I left my paper blank
and when he came around
to my desk
my heart beat like a tom tom.
He touched my head
with his big hand
and in a soft voice said
the snowfall
how clean
and white
and beautiful
i love your just right donkey...just like you are just right (beautifully!)...
ReplyDeletewhat a haunting & poignant poem..i'll love to check out the website.
looove to you! xox
Julia, thank you for this. I fell in love with your donkey painting the first time I saw it.
ReplyDeleteThis poem has shifted my perspective and given me a new outlook on my own creativity.
I have been wanting to create something in particular for so long now. Today, I begin. You have inspired me.
Loving you my dear friend.