A Poem For Michael

This is one I wrote for Michael Ornstein, an artist and actor who interacts with me on Twitter from time to time.  His work and his comments on it have caused me to ponder art of all sorts and its relationship to life.  Art is necessary to our existence, no matter what some may say or think.
This poem to me especially speaks of how Michael's art speaks to me. 
Thanks, Michael, for all the points to ponder, and for making me look at my own art, that of painting with words. 


Ruminations On Art
By C.K. Armistead
March 2014


Art is like life
You can't erase
You can only add
A layer to cover
To keep hidden the sad,
To smooth the rough over.
But still
It shows through
Just like in life
Truth finds
Its way out
Past the façade
We choose
To try
To hide it.




And here are my thoughts on my own art, not always practiced as much as it should be.


Ruminations on Poetry
By C.K. Armistead
March 2014


Words written or spoken
Cannot be taken back
Once said, once read,
They go on
Leaving hearts healed
Or broken
In their wake.
Like any art,
You can only add
Never take away
You can try to cover
The ugliness you say
Or perceive
But truth will out
Under the ugly
The beauty
Behind the hurt
The healing
If we're lucky.




I hope you enjoy these ruminations of mine.  I felt today to be a good day to write, even though I am at work this morning.  This IS a library, after all, a place of words and ideas, where they are sheltered, stored, shared.  If I cannot write here, where CAN I write? 
It is raining out this morning, and cool, and dreary enough to cause reflection and ruminations.  There is also an odd energy about the library today, cheerfulness and activity, people here and happy to see one another, children playing and reading and growing.  A good morning.  I hope it is where you are, too.