The Buddha in the Bonsai Tree
DEAR READER, I FEEL IT WOULD BE A MORE DELIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE IF YOU READ THE POEM AND VIEWED THE IMAGE THAT INSPIRED IT FIRST. THEN RETURN TO READ THE DESCRIPTIONS TEXT—-FIRST LET IT WASH OVER YOU!—DON’T LEAVE WITHOUT READING THIS, PLEASE! ENJOY.
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Art: the red umbrella
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This poem is based on & Inspired by & written for the RedBubble Group “Collaboral Damage” The photograph that inspired it was a collabolal work by artists Kara Rasmanis , Helen McLean and Jenny Hall . Kara Rasmanis wrote in the Photograph’s description: “Another corset city shoot with Helen Mclean and Jenny Hall. The Shot was taken by Jenny and I got to play with it in Photoshop….”
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The poem is my contribution to the Group. A collaboral piece, if you will. I will submit it in hopes of its acceptance.
The tale in the poem is fictional. So is the Restaurant in the title (I recommend Grand Chau Chow in Chinatown on Beach Street Um The Baby Clams in Black Bean sauce, and the chinese watercress umm – (Sorry, That’s why I ask you to read it first.) Outside of seeing this piece on Kara Rasmanis’s page,(via the Collaboral Damage group site) I’ve never heard of or met any of the three artists mentioned ans acknowledged here. My hope is the yet another Artist will gather the sum of these three artist’s contribution (Self included) and create a work based on the sum of all here. Not forsaking any information offered by the descriptions. And then submit this to the group as a collaboral work. All to form a thread of artworks growing from a single image created by two artists-working-together. And then ask (In its description) for this to be furthered including the work and description (you) creates. Or the collaboration you enter into to do the same. My extended hope is that the moderator(s) comment on this. And in anyway possible, promote it, or the idea of I at least. It’s all about RESPECTING the sources of inspiration! Thank you all, past present, and future.
C.C Arshagra
JANUARY 15th, 2008 (Martian Luther King Jr.’s Birthday)
The Buddha in the Bonsai Tree belongs to the following groups:
Complex Simplicity of Art, "Poetry and Beautiful Women" , Collaboral Damage, Graphic Scratch, Live, Love, Dream, The Sensual Word and WMGIt is in Boston
I know her from the past
She reaches … me across the room
Alone, I recognize her
She sips with lips I’ve touched before
Her drink’s light red umbrella twirls
We’re strangers now in distant worlds
I’ve not the nerve to broach her
A restaurant; (a secret spot)
‘The Buddha in the Bonsai Tree’
The pounding in my heart was taut
With tears I could not cry
For I was lo, a poet poor
And she a shining star
The world was hers to travel on
My humble cab outside
Her poise and beauty tore my soul
I’m not the man she longs to know
She shares her dining time with friends
Her laughter waves and rips my heart
As she departed, our eyes meet
No recognition. nor my ghost
She glided, turned, and then descended
Down the flight of stairs
My window seat, parked toward the streets
Did call me to lean near and peek
My brow against the glass did rest
Her bright umbrella opened; red
And then, she paused; I felt my chest
Explode in worthless hope
She pivoted beneath my view
Then threw a skyward glance—that held
All of time and wonder danced
As if she had remembered
Fine as fingers drunk past lips
We looked into each other
And then as if there were no truths
The red umbrella covered
She hailed a cab. She stepped inside
And drove away forever.
The waiter came to clear the table
Where she just had just sat
And as he passed me with the tray
I beckoned him to stop
“May I please?” I reached for it
And held it in my hand
Twirling it, he looked at me
As if I’d lost my mind
“Red” I said
“My favorite colour”
“May I?”
“For my memory …
She … It …This …
Reminds … you see? Never mind.”
“I’m through.”
I leave.
© 2008 C.C. Arshagra
From ‘The Poetry of Good-bye’ Series and collection (Unpublished work)
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Based on and Inspired by The image below;A Collaborative work by Kara Rasmanis, Helen Mclean & Jenny Hall (Important: See descrition)
GO TO IMAGE
Peter Rivron
Beautiful Poetry.
anaisnais
How lovely, a story in your poetry – not so easy.
Helen McLean
Fantastic poem to match a lovely photo – and Kara is a celebrity! (we knew that already!)
Jen Whyte
The words, rhyme and metre all fit the image so perfectly and the image IS the words … this is more than collaberation it is deep meaning!
C.C. Arshagra
Collaboral Damage has accepted this poem! A Big THANK YOU to the groups moderators Melissa Vowell and dabble.
And believe it or not, I am grateful to them for not accepting a previous work. At first I was not sure why? Then I grew to understand. If you run a group which requires approval, the quality of you group’s vision must not fear rejecting works and hurting feeling. Actually this means Thank You for rejecting the last one. It only made me look deeper into what your vision of ‘Collaboral Damage’ meant. That make (You) the moderators part of this collab. My part was to not give up. Not walk away the wounded one!
C.C. Arshagra
Please Remember to Thank Kara, Helen and Jenny too.
And thank you Peter for your comment & for your shot “Ghost Ship” which inspired “I will remember HER! And anaisias You are so special to bubble me with real timely typing corrections and err!, And pijinlane, you rock the art of commenting!
Suzanne German
For I was lo, a poet poor
And she a shining star
The world was hers to travel on
C.C.Arshagra – this is lovely. It reminded me of something from Breakfast at Tiffany’s (not even susre why)...just the longing and that red serviette….and the way you describe how different they are and how she will forget him and he will never forget her....awww….really touching – loved it!
Kara, Helen and Jenny – thanks (for C.C.Ashagra)
Suzanne
Suzanne German
I did go and take a look at the AMAZING image of the lady and the umbrella – all I can say (cause I said a lot there)...is WOW!!!! TERRIFIC stuff!
Rachael Hope
captivating and beautiful such a pleasurable read
Michelle Boyer
Lovely work- holds your attention from start to finish and then even more
Shoaib .