The word "potpourri" means "container of things that can be poured out," usually a mixture of small things, such as a potpourri of flowers or a potpourri of mixed beans. I first used the label for my file of segmented parts of my own illustrations, such as skies or heads, which might be re-usable in other of my images. Afterward, I used it to mean my mixed bag of works for my blog. -Roberta



Saturday, July 30, 2011

Here is a bauble which I wrote in the past week:


----Roberta

RESENTMENT - A PARABLE

Life is really so much more than this. Thus spoke THANE.  Yes, agreed THINE, it must be so much more than this.

If, THINE thought, THANE hadn't witnessed that it was so much more, THANE would not strain to reach that so much more despite THANE's suffering the weakening resentments which impair his lofty commanding attitude, mar his rigid countenance with grimaces, and diminish THANE's strength for hurdling that wall which keeps the so much more out-or-in and keeps THANE from reaching the so-much more in-or-out.

THANE, always solicitous of THINE's well-being and attempting to assuage that which he felt to be THINE'S overly-emotional grief, instructed THINE thusly: There is no reason for resentment, and therefore have I none. Neither should thee in thy lack of contentment, for I have been up and down this great wide world, which has a length of at least a hundred leagues, and I have seen that overwhelming dissatisfaction envelops all. There is nothing earthly which can be done to change this from the way it is.

Then THANE proved to thine how much them are able to sit on top of that wall to peer and observe, instructing THINE that as and when THANE looks:

THANE:
Hates sparrows who refuse the dictum, "fall!"
Hates women (or would if Thane had any and weren't just pretending)
Hates men (or would if Thane had any and weren't just pretending)
Hates taxes (although Thane has no money to pay any and has been receiving a pension for superior services rendered at an earlier time, said time being nothing and nowhere good.)
Hates government (in which, once, all walked about freely but in which each and every Thane found hampering Thane's freedom to boss around each and every other Thane and Thine.)

Thus, proved THANE, there is no cause for resentment for there is no more than this so-much-less-than-life anywhere or anyhow and I have seen it all.

Then THINE, being of multifaceted questioning and thus more inclined to the dependent simplicities of those who ask many questions of others, queried: "If there's nothing so-much-more beyond that wall, and nothing so-much-more here or then, where was or is Life so much more than this?"

THANE and THINE pondered. Then THINE suggested guardedly that they ask THUSLY for an opinion. THANE summarily but tenderly replied, thou knowest I am wary of the opinion of clerical scholars. THINE, in defense of THINE'S own suggestion, answered, "But thou hast the greatness to resist those suggestions as would offer danger or offense." THANE replied, "Oh but it's not about myself that I worry. I fear such influence on thee." "THINE, with long piercing glance at THANE, answered "Thou art the THANE. I am THINE. Fear not. We will learn together what is good for overcoming dissatisfaction."

So THANE called upon THUSLY and explained the despondency suffered by THANE and THINE, reminding all THUSLY sternly that THUSLY must tell to them, if THUSLY knowest what's good for them, in a way pleasant to the understanding of THANE and THINE who were not as learned as THUSLY.

THUSLY then dutifully called together all the clericals and secretaries and upon reaching the wall, THUSLY, nervous to answer among such elevated company as THANE and THINE, spoke as follows, "Seldom are we brought to speak in such magnified company but we will speak justly, in a forthright manner lest ye believe that we, who serve faithfully in hardship and threat of every kind, are cowardly to face bravely the ears of THANE and THINE. We do value our lives highly, and though this subject holds danger, we will humbly submit our answer as is suitable to our station, begging ye of sufferance."

Then THUSLY, focusing attention over the wall at all the mistakes of THANE's and THINE's dissatisfied neighbors over all the earth of at least a hundred leagues, discussed simply, as was suitable to THUSLY's position, where or when life is, was, or could be better:

"Maybe, said THUSLY modestly, if SWAGBAG gaped in wonder into a microscope instead of at the number of glittering facets on a neighbors brooch or if THEYSAY pondered how it is that both Adam and Eve have the same number of ribs and did both or either of them at any time, before or after Genesis, have an uneven or unfair number? Or in other words, wondered about the force that made us exist this side of the wall where, once in a while, something good comes up---
Maybe then."

"Maybe, if PUSH shoved notes or colors around to make compositions instead of forcing persons into patterns not of their own choosing or SHOVE pushed words or numbers around instead of trying to redeploy persons away from their own interests into SHOVE'S services---
Maybe then."

"Maybe if TURN YOUR BACK AND WALK AWAY would say "What did you say just then?" to WHY DON'T YOU SPEAK WITH ME and if TURN pointed out the constellations in the night sky to SPEAK as they walk side-by-side in the fields and SPEAK explains to TURN as they walk side-by-side in the fields, how the color of flowers sometimes depends on the nutrients in the soil---
Maybe then."

"Maybe if PIN MONEY's earnings were allowed to grow into sawbucks and MONEY BELT noticed that that didn't actually cut a midriff in the bonds of holy matrimony and MONEY BELT thereby escaped having to put in overtime and began attending the drama alongside SAWBUCKS and SAWBUCKS began having the time to gnaw hotdogs alongside MONEY BELT at the Sport Stadium because MONEY BELT washed the floor while SAWBUCKS did the laundry---
Maybe then."

"Maybe if I'LL BE DAMNED IF I'LL CONTINUE TO WASTE ALL MY ENERGIES IN A KITCHEN and I'LL BE DAMNED IF I'LL SPEND ANY OF MY ENERGIES IN A KITCHEN come to new terms of agreement, Nature will reveal the answer that lay beyond the wonder of Agur, pious liege of Great Solomon, who lamented in proverbs submitted to Solomon, that after the "ship in the midst of a sea," Agur understood not "the way of a man with a woman."  Then ALL and ANY, with Nature's mystery revealed, and seeing eye to eye with new regard, might find themselves emerging into new sensibilities, making goo goo eyes at one another as he dries the dishes (which is really unnecessary because air-dried is more hygienic. But hell! Life isn't all hygiene.)---
Maybe then.



Sunday, July 10, 2011

July 10, 2011


Sorry this month's post was delayed. On the way I was cut off by a herd of playing interlopes.

Here is a poem and its illustration which I had started a few years ago. The poem is based on actual events to which I was witness, but I gave it a title which ties it to some well-known historical events and links it to the song The Battle Hymn of the Republic. I dropped both poem and illustration and let them lie fallow for many months. I returned to both these past few weeks. They were started at the same time and finished together today.

I would like to remind readers that pictures, like poems are metaphorical. At this event there actually was no punching (sorta*).
*A slang word with a connotation of "metaphorical."

I hope everyone had a jubilant 4th of July.

-------Roberta


Roberta SchulbergGoro
MORALISTICS - THE SONG OF THE JUBILANT BALLADEER



"I tend to be moralistic.
"My mouthings annoy
"As if I hadn't the right to speak."
"You think you've earned the right to speak?"
"I'm not sure I've earned the right, but I know I've got it."
"A right to as-you-will, tendentious dogmatic ranting?"
"Sure."
"And you consider your provocations moral?"
"Yeah."

"Curmudgeon, teaching for teaching, we'll even the score.
"We'll hand you our tutelage and pin on you your shame.
"We'll teach you how such "free" speech feels.
"Our lessons can shut you up."
"Now, Do you still persist in self-opinionated prattle, off-the-cuff, do-it-yourself moralistics?"
"Yeah."
"Eccentric spates, make-shift, biased, extemporaneous didactics?"
"Sure."

"Scold, think about it. Your conscience. Are you good?"
"I'm moral. But not good.
"For example, I went for days not washing the kitchen floor.
"My wages don't swell me with pride in welcome partaking with others.
"I don't run for the phone, I let the answer machine to do it
"An obvious lack of personal attention inconveniencing the caller.
"I haven't chosen a nursing profession or other such public service,
"So I know I'm not endearingly good."
"Still claiming to be moral?"
"Sure."
"Advising ideosyncratic moralistics?"
"Yeah."

"Think you're better than others?"
"No more than anyone else."
"We know how to cut you down until you know you're worse."
"Now do you feel better?"
"No, I'm feeling worse."
"Still challenging doctrines more daunting?
"Sure."
"Prating moralistics?"
"Yeah."

"You're not humble."
"Yes, I know."
"We'll beat you 'til you're humble and recognize your place;
"Until you're broken and brought to the edge of the grave."
"See that place?"
"My eyes are open."
"Still spouting contrived moralistics?"
"Sure."
Self-willful speech is moral?"
"Yeah."

"Continuing public diatribes?"
"Silencing splits tribes, not speech.
"More sustaining than false harmony is contest in dispute.
"Those who silence opinion despise their world
"And their world love THEM it don't!"
"Love THEM 'it don't' and your moral?"
"Sure."
"Not love THEM, who shepherd the world?"
"Yeah, but neither are they silenced.
"It's those not enfolded in love who force silence, denying reciprocant ear.
"Yeah. It's speech heard that girds reciprocant ears."

