Friday, November 14, 2008

Give sorrow words. The grief that does not speak whispers the o'er-fraught heart, and bids it break. ~ William Shakespeare



JACK DANIELS DISTILLERY
LYNCHBURG TENNESSEE
Photo By: John P. Ford


I appreciate the complexity of this photo from the photographic point of view and even more from the representational emotional point of view. The colors range from a blood orange red to misty white with mid tone grays. Color is emotional life in representation.

Red orange is the courage to go forward. Most of us will reach the need for this color quality at many points in life. Sometimes that courage is needed to just keep walking.

Visually, there seems to be a cottage type dwelling in the foreground. As the eye moves upward, more complex buildings present with the image culminating in a misty hill top structure that literally seems above it all with a feeling of mystical and magical qualities. Our lives are like that with many levels of the simple and the complex, the magical and the mundane.

Looking on the path, the water offers reflection of a kind that feels like an abstract painting. We are not sure what it is but we want to take a closer look!

Each of us is a work of art . We are like tapestries that form a beautiful complex pattern on the surface yet reveal errors of imperfections on the underside. The
errors are what make the beauty in the final pattern.

This photo is like a representation of life lived to me. We move from one spiritual dwelling or life space to another. We try to integrate the experiences into one cohesive whole. None of these buildings look as if they really belong together yet they make a lovely whole picture.

Sorrow is one aspect of life that can be devastating yet open doors to self exploration that we would have passed by if invited. Instead, we often find ourselves throw into experiences we would not choose.

No one would seek the kind of sorrow life losses or serious illness can bring. Sorrow and loss can be one path to personal integration and the resulting need for reinvention of self.

In Memoriam is a poem written after three years of grieving and living and learning to regroup after the loss of a love who was instrumental in helping me define who I was and now who I am.

In Memoriam

Approaching midnight
eve of April one
we sat in flickering candlelight
reviewing glorious old dreams and
spinning new ones
In rainbow colored threads.

Our voices high on life and promises
hearts open, fears shared
forgiveness given, energy pulsing
connecting our hearts with hope.
You spun fantasies of
What our life would be.

By December I'll be in
better shape than ever, you claimed.
In a year, I'll be hard and healthy.
I listened and I believed it.
Do it with me, you said do it all..
O.K., I agreed - - while I wished for
a tape recorder.

We danced slow
with no music.
Holding my hand
going up the stairs
one or two steps ahead of me
you turned and caught my eye.

I have always loved you
Even when you were with someone else
Even when I was with someone else
Even when I loved them too
Maybe even in another
Lifetime - you said with a smile

No one has known me
as you know me, you said.
I know - and I, you also
I shared , truthfully

Touching, holding, drifting
on the gentle waves
of your waterbed
we missed the entrance of
The April Fool Trickster.

Startled into wakefulness
I saw your eyes and
knew you were no longer there
Even though you body was
Still.......breathing.

Disbelief - belief
Terror, deadly calm
Sirens, phone calls, pain
Hospital waiting rooms.
Hard to keep breathing.

Am I still breathing?
People we loved surrounded us
With an invisible inner circle
of those I have loved and lost.
Why am I still breathing?

A thousand times
in my imagination
I have died with you
the death you died but once.

Today I am alive
In love with life
Breathing, full of plans
time filled with
what I want and love.

Yet even now or
Tomorrow, tonight,
next year, this afternoon
the trickster's shadow
will cross my path as
I reach one thousand and one

18 comments:

Ezekiel Barzillai Smythe said...

What a great photo! I love the way certain subjects contrast -- in this case, it looks like someone's house is right in front of the factory!

Anonymous said...

Hi Linda, what is the thought behind posting this image??? What does it mean to you??? Im curious.

C

Linda S. Socha said...

Thanks Ezekiel!
I am preparing a post with part of that thought in mind. As you may note, I am a tad behind in posting!
For me this photo evokes much emotion and thought. I would love to hear your take on it later also.

Cory

Much thanks for the comment! I am in process of preparing the post....alas doing it and also covering for the secretary at my office. I appreciate your curiosity. A further post is forthcoming!! I look forward to your further comments!
Linda

Anonymous said...

Waiting in anticipation Linda.

Charli Henley said...

Beautiful pic, Linda!! I can't wait to read the corresponding post....

Linda S. Socha said...

I love you guys

FlyingRabbit said...

Linda, I thought that photo was just a mundane one at first sight. However, after I read your discription of that photo, I think it is one of the most beautiful picture that I've ever seen. The color, the stuff and the dilute skein of sorrow leave deep impression on me. I'm sorry that you got through that time hard and am happy that you enjoy your time. Look forward to your further post.

Unknown said...

Wow, I am so glad that you commented on my blog and welcome to the Blogosphere...would you mind if I add you to my blogroll for others to check out!!!

Namaste
GM~*

Charli Henley said...

Hey Linda. I love this poem so much. What a story! And you tell it beautifully. I got chills all over my body. At the risk of sounding cliche, you're very deep. (Okay, sorry, that was cliche. But what else can I say?)

Wishing you well.

Rhi said...

Love the photograph, and I do all of John's. No words can even describe the poem... it was amazing. Love you.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful poem Linda. I read it once and had to come back to it as it evoked a few forgotten memories...

Anonymous said...

I see now why you see so much in this photo that i could not see. Your poem is very touching Linda, i could feel all the pain, love and saddness as i read it. I cannot imagine how it feels to lose someone i love so much. Im sorry for your loss but im glad you found yourself again. Time is a great healer though you never forget, the pain just softens.

Take care

Linda S. Socha said...

Rabbit
Your remarks and thoughts matter to me. I know that sometimes I do go on and on. Thanks for the patience with my long posts!
Gabrielle
I would love for you to add me to your bloglists! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your comments! I appreciate your blog.
Charli
You are such wonderful and loyal reader and much encouragement. I have written more because of you! I deeply admire your courage and I appreciate your comments and.... Hey...I can be shallow, silly and an overgrown kid and deep is ok too!
Rhi
Wonderful to see you here! I love your blog and your comment means a lot to me. Without you,blogging would be much more of a technical challenge
Abbey
Thanks for stopping by and coming back! I relate to your blog and I appreciate your insights and comments. Please come back often.
Cory
Thanks for your thoughtful and open comments. I love having you in my blog corner...really!
Linda

Writing on Board said...

Lovely.

Richard said...

A nicely done photo. It looks so old, adding so much historical value to the property.

Ricardo Hirschfeldt said...

Hey Linda, hallo i´m Ricardo Hirschfeldt,your youtube film about jazz had me so much liked.You know i´m a unknow painter,i invite you to my blog!
Happy partys!!
Ricardo Hirschfeldt

Ricardo Hirschfeldt said...

Hallo Linda I want invite you to my blog,i´m painter.
Sincerely
Ricardo Hirschfeldt

Silver said...

i like this post.

there's a very profound touch to a picture and the way you wrote about the emotional aspects even in relation to colours and descriptions of details we tend to miss around us.

hugs-