The 60-Second Sabbath

art

  • The Passion Is Enough

    She pops up unexpectedly–beneath the darkening canopy of treesin the deep woods,from behind a stack of boxesin a corner of the basement,or like now,in a quiet gallery at the back of the art museum:  "Beautiful, yes?" "It is," I answer.… Continue reading

  • The Poet

    "I'm just rhyming," she said. "Rhyming what?" he asked. "Words, silly. Words and phrases.I'm playing, experimenting." "For what purpose?" She tapped the top of the penagainst her pursed lips."Well, every now and thensomething falls into place–something happens–and there's meaning,or depth,or… Continue reading

  • Failure

    Success buildson the rubble of repeated failure. No collapsed venture is wasted. Art, relationship, occupation–it's all the same:only those who gleefully fail,succeed. Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • You, Artist

    Only madnesstakes in handpalette and brush,splashing senseless colorsacross the singular canvasof your life.Insane abandoncreates the masterpiece. You, artist:this is your calling. Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Taking Pictures

    You can photograph to showcase pretty things.You can photograph to expose truth, irony or cruelty–    the off-kilter and out-of-whack.You can photograph to bring forward the overlooked.You can photograph to remember.You can photograph to revision, recast, reinterpret.You can photograph for… Continue reading

  • Photography

    I take photos. For those with clear eyes,the opportunities are endless–skyscrapers, cemeteries, snowy landscapes… What I really seek to captureare dreams. Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.   Continue reading

  • A Dozen Words

    Give me a dozen words,and I shall give you a poem. Give me a dozen words,and you have given me a poem. Text and image © 2011 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.    Continue reading

  • Only Poetry

    Only poetry probesthe complicated inner life of God.  Only imagination reachesthe unspoken and unarticulated mystery of What's Beyond. Only the mystic enters(naked, vulnerable, purposeless)the Holy of Holies. Only artists lead usto the Center. Am I overstating?I struggle to know.  Text and… Continue reading

  • I Am a Poet

    I finally said it yesterday:"I am a poet." I said it without discounting or qualifying,without minimizing, fencing or shrinking:I'm a poet.I write poetry. What are you that you can't yet say aloud?painter? author? woodworker?gardener? chef? photographer?scholar? theologian? meditator?yogi? mystic? athlete? child… Continue reading

  • Image or Word?

    At this momentI'm torn betweengrabbing my cameraand taking up my pen. Something before me–and equally within–demands representation,conscripts me as its agent. Image or word?Today the pen wins. Text and image © 2011 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.  Continue reading