La Madelene, Afternoon

  oil on panel  

This excerpt from a poem by May Swenson seems to me to have been written for a painter as a wondrous list of how to live - at the same time the first part of the poem describes as closely as anyone who has ever been immersed in a place while trying to paint that place, possibly could.  

The poem does what the best painting does; reveal, evoke, and surprise one about something known that thereby,  becomes new.

Earth Your Dancing Place

by May Swenson

Beneath Heaven's vault

remember always walking

through halls of cloud

down aisles of sunlight

or through high hedges

of the green rain

walk in the world

highheeled with swirl of cape

hand at the swordhilt

of your pride

Keep a tall throat

Remain aghast at life

I intend to do my best to 'remain aghast at life' and in my excitement try to catch hold of at least a small piece of it - and endeavor to enjoy every moment of the effort.  May Swenson closes with another bit of marvelous instruction.

Take earth for your own large room

and the floor of the earth

carpeted with sunlight

and hung round with silver wind

for your dancing place

Hope to see some of you out there in the "silver wind" painting at "your dancing place".