Author Archives: rick mobbs

whereabouts and wanderlust

Posted on March 20, 2008 by rick mobbs

Whereabouts and Wanderlust traveled hand in hand. Each one loved the other most and trekked then many lands. Altogether they were happy blue eyes and blue. Sleeping children brought them flowers, with love, from me to you.

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, faith, fun stuff, kids, light, love, lullabies, poetry, recovery, sleeping children, stories, the children, wake up dude, whereabouts and wanderlust | 3 Comments

a light dark poem – a rewrite

Posted on March 19, 2008 by rick mobbs

Sweet sweet engine of mercy, bright flying speck in the sun, tomorrow I’ll be riding a donkey, tomorrow I’ll be on my way home. We will go to the invisible carnival. We will ride the invisible rides. We will not … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, callings, faith, love, lullabies, my theology, poetry, stories | 8 Comments

obama’s speech

Posted on March 19, 2008 by rick mobbs

Transcript Barack Obama’s Speech on Race Published: March 18, 2008 The following is the text as prepared for delivery of Senator Barack Obama’s speech on race in Philadelphia, as provided by his presidential campaign. “We the people, in order to … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, anger management, art, awakening, callings, character studies, faith, hope, love, obama, obama's speech, poetry, politics, race in america, racial healing, recovery, tapestry, the children, works in progress | 4 Comments

border studies – undocumented aliens

Posted on March 18, 2008 by rick mobbs

Back in Montezuma, N.M. after 10 days on the road with 18 UWC-USA students, faculty chaperones, and Broadus, 8.5 years, a great traveler, interested in everything. In place of a Spring Break, students at UWC elect a service-learning adventure. This … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, callings, despair, faith, grassroots leadership, hope, illegal immigration, immigration issues, love, mexican border, poetry, politics, stories, undocumented aliens, uwc-usa, wake up dude | 6 Comments

hello from phoenix, oops, i mean tucson

Posted on March 11, 2008 by rick mobbs

I am traveling with 20 uwc-usa students (from 10 countries!) and faculty on a border studies trip and will be away for another 6 – 7 days. Hope to post along the way but internet is sketchy as we go … Continue reading →

Posted in "The Road", art, awakening, bleak stories, dark, faith, hope, journal, love, nightmare, politics, recovery, wake up dude, war | 11 Comments

portrait of Nanda

Posted on March 6, 2008 by rick mobbs
Posted in art, character studies, chiquitica, dreamtime, fernanda sosa, light dark, love, nanda, poetry, portraits, recovery, stories, visual journal | 9 Comments

a dark light poem

Posted on March 5, 2008 by rick mobbs

Mud and bone and fire and water, blood and ice and cloud and slaughter, bloody, holy, hallowed ground, bloody, empty, silent sound. The ash upon the embers, the fire within the cloud, the sound seeking hearing, the truth seeking sound. … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, awakening, faith, love, lullabies, poerty journal, poetry, stories, wake up dude, works in progress | 9 Comments

work in progress 1 poem or 2?

Posted on March 4, 2008 by rick mobbs

1. Sweet sweet engine of mercy, bright flying speck in the sun, tomorrow I’ll be riding a donkey, tomorrow I’ll be on my way home. Ah! The invisible carnival ride, I’m standing in line to climb on. Twirling and spinning … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, callings, dreamtime, electric cow, faith, fun stuff, hope, journal, light, love, lullabies, poetry, recovery, stories, wake up dude, works in progress | 3 Comments

friends

Posted on March 3, 2008 by rick mobbs
Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, faith, fun stuff, light, love, oil painting, stories, works in progress | 4 Comments

make the law dance – the new mexico PeaceWorks conference

Posted on March 2, 2008 by rick mobbs

Make the law dance and the people will love it. Today the NMPWC ends. New Mexico PeaceWorks Conference creating a better world through social justice http://www.uwc-usa.org/cec/peace.htm       Sponsored By United World College-USA, Monte Del Sol Charter School, Santa … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, anger management, art, awakening, callings, college of santa fe, faith, hope, kids, light, love, monte del sol charter school, new mexico peace works conference, poetry, politics, santa fe school for the arts and sciences, uwc-usa, wake up dude, war, works in progress | Leave a comment

desolation, hope, and more hope

Posted on February 29, 2008 by rick mobbs
Posted in "Blindness", "The Road", aa, art, awakening, bleak stories, callings, dark, desolation, despair, hope, light, love, nightmare, poetry, politics, recovery, stories, the art of recovery, the immorality of groups, wake up dude, war, works in progress | 12 Comments

new mexico peace works conference

Posted on February 29, 2008 by rick mobbs

This is the conference Naomi is organizing in Santa Fe this weekend. Fun and educational. Anybody in the area please come! (And please introduce yourself!) Details here: http://www.uwc-usa.org/cec/peace.htm Sponsored By United World College-USA, Monte Del Sol Charter School, Santa Fe … Continue reading →

Posted in 5113243, awakening, college of santa fe, fun stuff, grassroots leadership, kids, light, love, monte del sol charter school, new mexico peace works conference, poetry, politics, recovery, santa fe school for the arts and sciences, stories, united world college, uwc-usa, war, war toys, works in progress | Leave a comment

thoughts on the novels, “the road”, and “blindness”

Posted on February 27, 2008 by rick mobbs

Only a great kaleidoscope can break the cold gray stone that forms in the bottom of the heart when we consider the way that we treat each other and make it beautiful.

Posted in "Blindness", "The Road", aa, art, bleak stories, character studies, cormac mccarthy, dark, desolation, despair, jose saramago, love, nightmare, poetry, portraits | 6 Comments

she sits upon a windowsill (revision)

Posted on February 24, 2008 by rick mobbs

She sits upon a windowsill and spies a laughing boy, about eleven, walking barefoot by the water’s edge beneath the tree’s green reaching hands. The canopy throws its color down and lights the shadows with reflections, the subtle ocher, umber, … Continue reading →

Posted in aa, art, awakening, callings, dreamtime, fun stuff, hope, journal, kids, light, love, poetry, recovery, stories, the art of recovery, the writing life, wake up dude, works in progress | 5 Comments

Ivan Gold

Posted on February 22, 2008 by rick mobbs

I am in Boston this weekend to say goodbye to an old friend. Here is the death notice, which appeared today in the Boston Globe Ivan Gold Of Boston, formerly of New York City on December 23, 2007, writer, teacher, … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aa, art, awakening, callings, hope, Ian Gold, ivan gold, kids, light, love, recovery, stories, the art of recovery, the writing life, works in progress | 12 Comments

ann’s calf (for ann bunting mock)

Posted on February 22, 2008 by rick mobbs

I found this calf in Merida, in the mountains of western Venezuela. The painting began as a scumble of color on a tinted and sanded 2′ x 4′ masonite panel. Then I stalled out. I had earlier painted a series … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aa, ann bunting-mock, art, awakening, callings, dreamtime, fun stuff, hope, kids, light, love, paul hartley, poetry, recovery, stories | 3 Comments

electric cow (barbeque)

Posted on February 21, 2008 by rick mobbs
Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, dark, dreamtime, electric cow, fun stuff, light, poetry, stories, wake up dude | 9 Comments

she sits upon a windowsill- (work in process)

Posted on February 18, 2008 by rick mobbs

She sits upon on a windowsill and spies a laughing boy, about eleven, walking barefoot down the river’s edge beneath the tree’s green reaching hands. The canopy throws its color down and lights the shadows with reflections, the subtle ocher, … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, callings, dreamtime, hope, kids, light, love, poetry, stories, works in progress | 4 Comments

on a subway under boston

Posted on February 18, 2008 by rick mobbs

on a subway under Boston sat a kid in a ratty hat with his finger in his nose by the window dressed in velvet sat a girl from the Mississippi and she squished when she walked cause her shoes were … Continue reading →

Posted in art, chiquitica, fun stuff, kids, light, love, poetry, stories | 11 Comments

i was born in a hearse

Posted on February 17, 2008 by rick mobbs

I was born in a hearse, I carry my curse, from midnight to midnight, searching by lamplight, for someone to find me, a hand that can guide me, through the streets that hide me, from midnight to midnight.

Posted in anger management, art, dark, poetry, recovery, refugee, stories | 2 Comments

Devil Woman

Posted on February 16, 2008 by rick mobbs
Posted in art, dreamtime, fun stuff, poetry, recovery, stories, wake up dude | 2 Comments

Praise

Posted on February 14, 2008 by rick mobbs

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, callings, hope, journal, light, love, poetry, stories | 10 Comments

Slow, swollen, unattractive

Posted on February 13, 2008 by rick mobbs

Slow, swollen, unattractive, difficult to work with, dead. Your husband cried when we told him.

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, awakening, hope, love, poetry, stories | 2 Comments

overpainting

Posted on February 12, 2008 by rick mobbs

or, how to ruin a perfectly good painting? I am better about knowing when to stop but still sometimes overpaint one. This is one I liked very much as a charcoal and acrylic sketch. Here are some pics of the … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, callings, dreamtime, light, love, overpainting, poetry, stories, wake up dude | 9 Comments

completed work/works in process

Posted on February 12, 2008 by rick mobbs

A recently completed portrait of Beethoven as a young man. The painting was commissioned by Ron Maltais, the Music Director here at UWC-USA, in exchange for piano lessons for my son, Broadus. I worked from a photo of an old … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, beethoven, blacksmithing, callings, chris thompson ironworks, poetry, portraits, ron maltais, steel sculpture, uwc-usa, war toys, works in progress | 2 Comments

I felt your imprint

Posted on February 11, 2008 by rick mobbs

your imprint detached itself from the great cloud, giving up forgetfulness and unknowing, taking up memory and knowledge, wearing once again the clown suit, cheering me from my great longing, pushing me back from the edge of the hollowed out … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, art, light, love, poetry | Leave a comment

The spring craves water

Posted on February 11, 2008 by rick mobbs

The spring craves water. Is, does, always will. A hammer is something else when it’s not being used. Any tool can tell you something is lost when it’s not being used. My dog cries when she gets left behind. Some … Continue reading →

Posted in anger management, art, dark, poetry | 4 Comments

a candle breaks the nighttime

Posted on February 10, 2008 by rick mobbs

A candle breaks the nighttime, the seconds sputter past. Christina hums the blues to make the seconds last. Her anything but joyful days recall her own beginnings. Her candlesong is one of praise for all that’s left of living.

Posted in art, medium, poetry, stories | 2 Comments

Maybe it wasn’t some great or tragic flaw

Posted on February 10, 2008 by rick mobbs

Maybe it wasn’t some great or tragic flaw. It could have been just an occurrence happening like a watchspring come unsprung and deciding to dance. Power comes from, rests and abides with the old rotten Stonehenge figures and grandfathers. You … Continue reading →

Posted in art, love, medium, poetry, refugee, steel sculpture, war | Leave a comment

dream images

Posted on February 7, 2008 by rick mobbs

There is a man in a cage, you can see his hands. A tower holds the cage, the sun burns above. The sun wears a face. The face doesn’t smile. Below, a ruined wall runs to both horizons, its stones … Continue reading →

Posted in aa, art, dark, dreamtime, poetry | 3 Comments

the daughter

Posted on February 6, 2008 by rick mobbs

we crossed your love with my desire i spun my faith through your fire and yours spun through my water. in the hills her soul found ours, her voice was mist and trills. we knew her by her laughter.

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aa, chiquitica, light, love, poetry | 11 Comments

oops!

Posted on February 6, 2008 by rick mobbs

lost it! I don’t think this poem was meant to be posted.

Posted in aa, art, poetry | 2 Comments

tell us a story!!

Posted on February 3, 2008 by rick mobbs

I had reservations about the poem I matched with the painting here and so took it down. So, in the spirit of collaboration, if you, or you and your kids, or your kids, or anyone else would like to offer … Continue reading →

Posted in aa, art, light, poetry | 5 Comments

selfish lizard- twice resurrected poem of the day

Posted on February 2, 2008 by rick mobbs

Here is a little darkling of a poem that has been rattling around my brainpan. I’ll try to make something a little more upbeat for my next post. The image I have paired here is the 3rd panel in a … Continue reading →

Posted in aa, art, awakening, bleak stories, callings, dark, dreamtime, faith, hope, light dark, love, nightmare, oil painting, poerty journal, poetry, recovery, stories, tapestry of life, wake up dude, works in progress | Leave a comment

soup-kitchen witch (today’s poem is a painting)

Posted on February 1, 2008 by rick mobbs
Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aa, art, fun stuff, light, love, poetry, portraits, soup kitchen witch | 7 Comments

Oh, where did that voice go? Where did I put it?

Posted on January 31, 2008 by rick mobbs

there is an old man in a gutter and he calls his voice his daughter and he sings – come to me, girl, come to me, girl, I miss you so badly I feel so lonely come to me, please, … Continue reading →

Posted in 'tis a gift to be simple, aa, art, light, love, lullabies, poetry, wake up dude | 6 Comments

why you drink so much baby?

Posted on January 30, 2008 by rick mobbs

Why you drink so much baby? You make people worry, alla time damn you fuck and fight an you drink too much baby. Sometime he love you baby. Hanging all damn time on the wall arms pinned, headache feet hurt … Continue reading →

Posted in aa, art, dark, poetry, wake up dude, war | 5 Comments

Recipe for Moonlight (Dance of the Lizard King)

Posted on January 30, 2008 by rick mobbs

rework rework rework rework rework rework rework rework rework

Posted in aa, art, light, poetry | Leave a comment

Necklace by Broadus

Posted on January 29, 2008 by rick mobbs

Broadus with necklace he made today from yarn and found and carved sticks. Works in progress in background. There is a thin line between finishing a painting and torturing it.

Posted in aa, art, beethoven, callings, kids, light, love, poetry, portraits | 1 Comment

Dreamtime

Posted on January 29, 2008 by rick mobbs

(from a dream I had the night before an art opening. I used it as my artist’s statement.) I asked the man who stood beside the child and held her hand, what he called her. Both of them were muffled … Continue reading →

Posted in aa, art, callings, dreamtime, journal, light, love, poetry, stories | Leave a comment