What shows
how little
we know?
What can be is
oft far less than
what we expect.
What is now
has never been
what it was.
07/25/2024 j.g.l.
value beyond
Simplicity.
Is there emotion in austerity?
Humanity?
What do you see when attempting
to define your limited visibility?
Minimalism, abstract impressionism
or incorporeal thought.
Less is more, but is it enough?
Texture, tone, and value beyond
your current scene. If you take it to an
extreme, you will question
what it means.
What is really there?
What line do you cross?
Can simplicity be complicated, or
should it even be attempted?
07/23/2024 j.g.l.
Mondays are just young Fridays
Things will not go as planned. Intentions will be disrupted, even overlooked, in the aftermath of an unexpected reality.
Where you are headed will not be the place you end up, undoubtedly or undeniably. No matter how hard you attempt to make each gesture, brushstroke, promise, prayer, or pastime as perfect as you believe it can be, many times you will not arrive at a perceived destination. All too often your endeavors never hit the mark; at times your work may be better than expected (celebrate those moments), but everything (even your judgement) is subjective.
You are not limited to, or by, the colours in your paintbox or progression of your process.
Imagination is as limited or expansive as you want it to be. Give it time to blossom; in certain instances, you may even have to reel it in. This is all about possibilities, no matter which media, method, or style you are beholden to.
You owe your art (or life) nothing but your presence; the value comes from the practice, as rudimentary or spontaneous as it is or will become.
07/22/2024 j.g.l.
I'm like a pencil;
sometimes sharp,
most days
well-rounded,
other times
dull or
occasionally
broken.
Still I write.
j.g. lewis
is a writer/photographer in Toronto.
Mondays are just young Fridays
Posted on April 10, 2017 by j.g.lewis
// 1 Comment
Fortunate I, very recently, to come across a copy of The Sonnets by William Shakespeare, and to not only re-discover the magic of the bard’s words, but also the interpretation and analysis of a complete stranger.
In curiously tidy printing (in both pencil and ink) within the pages of the hardcover are passages of marginalia, contrasting or calling into question the poet’s words. Perhaps the book was a text used in university study, or maybe just a strong interest or Sunday pastime, but the notes are a total reminder of how we all interpret words and statements within our own realm or context.
Although the interpretations, at certain points, differ to my take (though my eyes have been opened to another way of looking at certain aspects of Shakespeare’s work) it reinforces my point that every poem may provide a new meaning for each reader.
In fact, one of the wonders of language itself is its ability to take on varied meanings, depending on use or phrasing. In that, it is both exciting and confusing.
Shakespeare himself is considered both exciting, and confusing. Some of that comes more from getting past the language of the day than true meaning. Those of you who may still feel the hangover of studying Macbeth or Twelfth Night in Grade 12 English, would be encouraged to look at the man’s sonnets, where storyline is limited to 14 lines. Perhaps his style is more easily digested in the non-dramatic works, or in small doses.
Words are an amazing thing — for both what they say and don’t say — in our day-to-day reading or general communication. Sometimes saying what you think and saying what you mean are two separate and distinct things.
Sometimes, whether marginalia is provided or not, you have to read between the lines.
04/10/17 j.g.l.
One reply on “Mondays are just young Fridays”
Interpretation and perception are key elements in these times. Great theme to start a new week!