pepek the assassin

I haven’t singled out a poet’s work and talked about it specifically, but Praise, by Joyce Ellen Davis struck me powerfully and I wanted to bring it up and see what feedback came in. I love the painting but it seems so idiosyncratic it surprises me to I find that others see what I see. I usually don’t title these image prompts. I like to see what people come up with. But I felt like Joyce (a.k.a. pepek the assassin) saw into the painting and beyond and came back and reported in a way that made me marvel at her words. Here is the image and the words they prompted. Others were wonderful, too, but this one really struck me. Joyce’s blog is following the little god. Comments?

Praise

and even if you haven’t asked
the ferocity I see in your eyes is really praise

the left eye overflowing with a compassion of tears
the right eye damned where the Father stands archived and

disguised the promise is that the hand that gives
takes away nor bird nor snake nor fish can stay it

nor ringed fingers nor hard stones nor veils
nor things visible or invisible nor words

nor the blackened silences of things half-formed
nor oaths nor obligations of a thousand years

of clouded windows and passing lovers or strangers
it is there in the etcetera of praise in ruined newsprint

lifted by the wind and blown and dissolved in a sea
of rain water and even if you haven’t looked

it is there in both the promise and the praise
it is there in all of these and none of these

it is Alpha and Omega it is the Beginning and the End
forgive me forgive me forgive me forgive me oh forgive

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the backstory on the painting, for what it’s worth…

I found this canvas in a thrift shop and recycled it. The bright colors are showing through from the original thrift shop painting. I drizzled roofing tar on the canvas and then brought out some of the images which were suggested in the texture. The next day the aluminum particles in the tar had risen to the surface and the images were obliterated. I tried to force the drying but the images kept disappearing. I finally used a barrier coat of clear shellac to seal and stabilize the tar and went in on top of that with metallic oils to bring the images out again. The image above is the final image. It now belongs to Jason Bruno, Cynthia Webster and their beautiful, gifted children (my grandchildren!), Will Scarlet and Sabine. The painting has a wonderful home.