Lover to the Arts.
I’ve always been
the Lover to the Arts,
kissin’ the lips
embracin’ the arms
of all her kinds;
once upon a time…
i wanted to paint
with my inner voice
i wanted my inner voice
to speak through the
artistry of painting
moving
through the voices of
Jacob Lawrence,
John T. Biggers,
Hale Woodruff
that still resound today…
(more easily said) but
a young life began
his renaissance with crayons
and blue-line paper sheets
crafting dreams of sunbeam
filled skies and joys of days
that only rays of sun could
replicate in the clarity of
the voices we’d
paint together
those were the days--- until my voice
painted out of its range
and sketched me out
of the portfolio
of ability.
once upon a time…
i wanted to dance
with my inner paintbrush
i wanted my inner paintbrush
to move through
the rhythmic freedom of
my body, in ways
the paintbrushes of
George Snowden,
Leroy Jones
grooved and still brush on today…
(more easily said) but
my dreams found themselves
wrapping my body around the
grove, passion of the pulses,
and the tenacity of the tempos.
those were the days--- until my paintbrush
missed a step
and tumbled me outside
of the Lennox Lounge’s side
doors I once could slide through.
today…
i want to write
with my inner cadence
I want my poetry
to dance lyrics in
heartfelt performances
like
Countee Cullen,
Langston Hughes,
Zora Neale Hurston
jazzed then and still dance on today…
(more easily said) but
my poetry finds itself floating
on the vibrato of the rhythm
as words lock their experiences
into poetic fixations and give life to
the songs
the dances
the pictures
seen and touched by the
renaissance of my young life
‘cause there’s this something special
about how poetry tempts me as she
moves--- and I’ve always been
the Lover to the Arts
just-a kissin’ and embracin’
Mark Anthony Thomas
Copyright © 2004