What I Paint To

Sometimes I paint to music
Listening as I go
But then again to silence
Which I most know

Sometimes I paint to doubt
That old enemy
Sometimes to weariness
Trying to hold me

But lately I paint to strength
Coupled with energy
Joined by fast faith
With trust for company

Today I painted to love
In all its colors and hues
Today I painted to love
Which I lately choose

copyright 2010, Georgette Jones

Brought

To do firm the thing
To push forth the thought
To strive fast to bring
To life what is sought

And let prayer precede
That which is brought! 

copyright 2009, Georgette Jones

The Already-Eaten Crow

This one states she never could tolerate
Being toothless, no dentures for me
 Another swears she never could wear
A prosthesis where a breast used to be

Says now a brag nothing ever will sag
Because I exercise faithfully

But who can say what fate has in store
What life will bring your way
Or what words you will eat
What challenge you will meet
For the privilege to greet a new day!

copyright 2009, Georgette Jones

Place

The spirit of others permeate this place
Breaking through, an ancient anguish
Heard are voices within this space
Where death, denied, does languish

No matter how handsome this decor
All from before finds its way
To linger here forevermore
With muted breath, to have its say

Always, always, I feel their weight
As I save some semblance of peace
Is it me they seek to agitate?
Is it me they want to reach?

Could I feel less than fear,
As I attempt to make a dwelling?
What is it they want me to hear
In their language of silent telling?

Here is sensed the soul of what
Cannot be heard without recoil
Who never enter and never shut
The doors of their mortal soil

Here is sensed the soul of those
Who passed before in great turmoil
Who never enter and never close
The graves of their mortal soil!

copyright 2009, Georgette Jones

Pack Up

You, uninvited, suitcase and all
Bluntly insinuated into my life
Without a prior letter or call
Unfolding your drama, sharpening your knife

Your suitcase, filled with issues and such
Betrayals, lies, woes and sorrow
Unpacked deliberately, are quite too much
Baggage I care not to borrow

So ease from here, I beg you now
Pack that suitcase kept in your head
No more theatre must I allow
Your thoughts are waste, your words dread

Something inside you seems to suggest
That I fall amiss of my serenity
To tolerate you further is to strangle progress
It's impossible to relish your company

I want to address those truths I know
Without regrets, I must ask you to go!

copyright 2009, Georgette Jones

Spiritual Music

Whenever I'm feeling down, music is a sure way of lifting me up. Since childhood, I have turned to music for comfort or for answers to nagging questions. Certain songs have made me cry, laugh or just feel so alive. I cannot remember a time when I did not have an intense, curious and sensitive personality.  Music has often been the catalyst validating my emotional make-up and connecting me to the spiritual inheritence of so many types of songs.


One of the first songs I remember waking up to each morning was "Green Door," which I think was by the Statler Brothers, but haven't yet been able to confirm through research. Mahalia Jackson, Rosetta Thorpe and The Rance-Allen Group were some favorites when I was growing up. These days, I am just as likely to listen time and again to spiritual songs by R&B singers or songs that are not labled as spiritual, but have an inspirational, soulful "feel" to them. Here are a few spiritual songs that will always be my favorites:


Nearer My God to Thee/ Al Green- My mother sang this song when I was a little girl, sitting nearby watching her iron my dresses. To this day, I love to iron, and love Al Green's version of this song because it's sung with so much emotion.


His Eye is on the Sparrow/ Marvin Gaye - To me, Marvin was the quintessential spiritual singer. Even his R&B tunes carried that flavor.


Suzanne/ Nina Simone - Best version of Leonard Cohen's famous song. Creative, innovative, brave.


Suzanne/ Harry Belafonte - Second best version of the Leonard Cohen song. Lost my copy, and haven't been able to find it anywhere.


Gospel Medley/ Destiny's Child - Hearing the meshing of the voices of Beyonce',Kelly and Michelle lilting this tune is pure pleasure.  I always think how much they must have enjoyed singing this, which is composed of three songs, You've Been So Good / Now Behold the Lamb / Jesus Loves Me.  


The Storm is Over Now/ R. Kelly - This song transcends any of his transgressions, and testifies to the God in most of us.


O Happy Day/ The Edwin Hawkins Singers- I love the contained, steady emotion of this song, which always makes me feel good.


Bird on a Wire/ K.D. Lang - Her version of Leonard Cohen's song sounds like an honest prayer to me.


Say Amen/  Howard Hewitt - This song is such a testimony to how we often give praise to a higher power within us. I love Howard's rendering of this song, but I have to buy an udated copy because the YouTube version sounds a bit grainy.


Mary, Don't You Weep/ Aretha Franklin- If you can sit still while listening to this song, please check your pulse. I have to at least clap, sway and/or moan whenever I hear this.


There are other spiritual songs I love by Aaron Neville, Solomen Burke, Jennifer Hudson and Patti LaBelle, among many others, which I hope to write about at another time. Please share some of your favorite spiritual songs in the Comments section at the bottom.

Life Number "4"

Always, my life has been a square
Of harsh confinement I strain to bear
Within boundaries so saliently spare
Neatly attending my own frustration

Always, to dwell within four walls
Whose lonely lines define the halls
Inside of which I heed life's call
Silently serving my vast obligation

Always, to seek from inside a box
Answers from life that open the locks
While producing work by heaven's clock
Diligently fulfilling my destination

Always and now in accepting four
Lines with choices that contain a door
Belatedly, to realize there is much more
Tasting the fruits of this revelation!

Now, in perceiving it's useless to be
Locked into four without a key
Doors gradually carved have set me free,
Finally enjoying victorious elation!

copyright 2009, Georgette Jones

January Morning

How shameful to cling to this brazen bed
Where comfort embraces like arms
Where warmth ignores what lies ahead
To invite enjoyment of morning's charms

The perfumed pillow beneath my head
Forms a cuddle much like a lover's
Hugs me firmly to lie here instead
Coaxes me joyfully into the covers

The midwinter landscape beyond my view
Parallels the tedium of today's tasks
Where obligations are many, options few
No compromise coming, no need to ask

To enjoy for once, disposable time
Without structure, concern or worry
To claim this day a friend of mine
To enjoy life without hurry

But such indulgence is not to be
Calendar dates always creep through
The revelry of my morning and me
And admonishes us to pay our due

Now fully dressed, I walk away
From my lovely bed, now neatly prim
From my lovely bed, where I wish to stay
No telltale signs of my pleasure of him!

Copyright, 2009,Georgette Jones 

   

Mother Wit

These people know plenty
Yet spent little time in school
They were educated by experience
But learned by self-rule

They know each part of a vehicle
What to leave or take out
They taught themselves to read
They know what life's about

They know that ghosts exist
And understand the seasons well
They know when to give advice
And know what not to tell

These people excel at life
And always think on their feet
They know that survival sense
Is more than food to eat

They have mother wit
Taught by mother earth
Never to know how you get it
Only what it's worth!

copyright 2009, Georgette Jones

Rock Bottom

Then, your rope wore to thread
Strained illusions begged to break
Through the chaos inside your head
More than mind or body could take
Just before you hit the ground

When loyal lies could not save you
From the mirror of face to face
When denial no longer gave you
The facade of a safe hiding place
As your real self came unbound

Now the vicious valley you hit
Where your only cushion is a rock
Halts the high you could not quit
And demands that you take stock
Of a miserable life unsafe, unsound

Yes, you could rise and stand
To battle the demon that is you
You could lend a helpful hand
To the angel who walks with you
There even before you were found

Do it now, my friend, begin anew
Let your truth finally break through!

copyright 2009,  Georgette Jones

The Week in Musical Gratitude #1

• This past week I am grateful for these songs that I listened to: 

 "To Be Loved "/ Jackie Wilson / I listened to this on YouTube while searching for OldiesButGoodies.
"Only Sixteen "/ Sam Cooke / Also on YT
"Children, Go Where I Send Thee" / Mary Chapin Carpenter / The most beautiful version yet, given me by a friend.  Thank you, friend.
"I Want to Know What Love Is"/ Foreigner / Best music video ever made. 80's music rocks.
"I Want to Know What Love Is" / Leela James version / Recommended by my dautee.  Thank you, dautee.
 "Everytime You Go Away" / Paul Young / Great 80's tune, really good and good-looking singer.

• I am grateful for feeling better after the holidays.  I was not feeling so cheerful this year due to emotional weights.  Something lifted.
• I am grateful to have found so many long-lost friends on Facebook.  Why didn't I do this sooner?  
• I am grateful for all my ideas for new projects.
• I am grateful for my health, wealth (my definition of it, y'all), wisdom and wit.
• I am grateful to all of you who took the time to read this.  My unknown friends, may you also be blessed with health, wealth, wisdom and wit.   

Poetry Slam

Perhaps too direct, but for the sake of rhyme
Wrote full the poem line for line
Filled each stanza with jelly and jam
Read it back and affirmed, "I am."

Took that poem to a poetry slam.

Won the grand prize for spark and wit
Decorated that poem and framed it
Toted it to each corner of the nation
Every reading was a huge sensation

That poem received much congratulation.

Over the years that came and went
His tongue now silent, his back now bent
His will to entertain not like before
At every engagement, he was a bore

"Only one poem," he cried from his core,
"After all this time, I wish I'd wrote more!


copyright 2009, Georgette Jones

Quickly Captured From a Dream

Through the door of my nether mind marches forms.  Of all persuasions.  Elongated. Stumped.  Portly.

Confident shapes preen to be chosen.  Into the attic of my sleeplife they dance, prance and tumble, soon joined by letters and words.  And then poetry.

Crafty ones with ambitions of design.  Aspiring toward calligraphia, yet more toward painting.  They want to be joined by colors and birthed from a dream.

Forms, color, design, calligraphy, poetry, words and songs comprise these new dreamworks.  Many designs already formed inside.

I know what to do outside.  Thank you, Lord, for the guidance of dreams. 

The above words are from a recent dream where I was able to successfully capture the content upon waking, resulting in the current painting I'm working on.  The following poem was written last year, documenting that no such capture was allowed. 

Lost Inspiration

This morning, dawn, 
as I fluttered from night,
A poem so lovely
grazed me with light

He kissed my lips fully,
and gave me his mind
I returned his kiss,
his soul to imbibe.
But it was not to be
that one so sweet,
Whose rare fullness
I could not meet,
Would visit beyond
the light of day
When I awoke
he had flown away
Vainly, I held the
shattered refrain
Where only traces
of words remained.

copyright,2009, Georgette Jones