Inspiration Poems


Following poem by Ron Ray, an american poet is inspired by the painting The Mentally Ill



Tiles

i.
tiled walls and floors, white but stained
why'd they make them white they should have
been green

green tiles would fit better, in this place,
in here

white bedlinens, white metal carts, white uniforms
starched and pressed and neat

but stained

spattered and smeared with whatever humans
are able to excrete, scrubbed but still there
everywhere

ii.
out damned spot, she said, laughing, pushing
the needle in

iii.
you can smoke here, but they keep your cigarettes
behind the desk, and watch you when they let you smoke
outside in the void

there's nothing outside but milky white, the smoke
blends in and disappears but the white turns a little
yellowish in spots

more stains, even out here in the nothingness, in
the White itself

iv.
on visitors day no one comes.

v.
i miss something, but i don't remember what.
Ron Ray, USA

 
Both the following poems are by NC, an american poetess in appreciation of the artist's work. The first one is on the overall work. The second one is specifically on the Gallery - ''The Marginalised''.
Her reaction in prose is at the end of both the poems.
 
Poem on overall work -

He asked if I can share a thought
as to what I see and stirred in me
the signs echoed symbols in reality
I see a reflection of thoughtful impartiality
an invitation to look on how we've become
from angles as it converge to define who we are

Some may not like what he has offered
For it may have jolted a not so guilt-less truth
So clear to see... still like an ostrich behaved foolishly

Second poem -

''As inspired by series of paintings "The Marginalized"....[your work]... - inspiring yet draining at the same time... but it challenged me to care and think.'' NC

I peeked through windows half open
shapes of colors unveiled invisible pain
souls forever lost in memory slain
faces unknown; lives shattered forgotten
Who shall be your voice as scarlet tears threaten?
I peeked through windows half open
moans of deafening silence proclaim
voice silenced, mangled spirits, bodies maimed
numbers endlessly bleed as it groans in vain behest
Who shall shelter you in this unceasing tempest

I peeked through windows half open
darkness shines as it coyly hides 'neath gentility
sickness, poverty, violence, drenched in utter misery
stench of vile and innocent blood rise yet justice seemed to flee
Who shall save you from this relentless horror and agony?

I peeked through windows half open
revolting reality of iniquity's trumpet glared at me
My soul it summoned into depths unknown sea
Felt helpless, withered, barren and drained
God's Holy Passion life's sole consolation our only Eternal Gain!

 
comment -

Well, thanks for creating "politically incorrect" and non-decorative and challenging works of art ...like ''The Marginalized'' because I can feel the pain, horror, anxiety, anger, sadness... and feeling of helplessness... isolation... --- as if I am profiling humanity's misery and decadence...

...since I am from a Roman Catholic Heritage - after looking through these particular collection of paintings - naturally I see it from God's point of view...I see it from my Faith's point of view.

I remembered what that Protestant pastor said about them (The Marginalized)- how he sees them as The Passion of Christ - perhaps even a continuation of Christ's Passion through human suffering... -- I can see that too as well... remember the word "Catholic" means UNIVERSAL - so, yea...human suffering is part of -- - even an extension of God's Passion... Because whether modern man likes it or NOT - whether he believes it or NOT is highly irrelevant...Why? (you might ask) well, when He (God) came to the world - His intention is to redeem the world from sin... but He gave man freewill --- He created a moral world --- man is free to reject His morality... but of course with consequences... but modern man failed(ignorance or negligence or both) or worst deliberately refused to see it from God's point of view!

Hence, suffering is part of human life and existence! His Cross... His Agony and our cross and our agony are united... but it's up to people to unite their suffering with God's Suffering --- so as to gain merit... suffering can be redemptive if one knows how to look at it and how to unite it with God's Suffering/Passion but if one becomes extremely bitter and vengeful... it can lead to one living his life here on earth a living hell and may even lead to eternal damnation.

NC