Imaginative steel

Lord Fill Me;

Where was the Lord when I was alone and hurt as a child?


Lord fill me

Where was the Lord to help me make the right decisions as a young adult?


Lord fill me

Where was the Lord when my dreams shattered?


Lord fill me

Where was the Lord in all my constant failures?


Lord fill me

Where was the Lord as I have sought constant approval, but found none?


Lord fill me

Where was the Lord when I was abandoned and left alone?


Lord come fill me.

Ship of My Dreams:

The ship of my dreams had golden oars,


In my childhood happy hours


It sailed twixt books of brightest green,


Past fields all filled with flowers.

I rowed and rowed this pretty ship


And sailed 'neath moon and stars,


I never tired of golden oars


Nor tired moaning bars.

I visioned a land of pure delight,


Where I would sail some day


O'er waters rippling with the breeze,


Where I'd paddle gently away.

I'd leave all care and worry behind,


And I'd return no more


'Till my ship grew old and my heart grew cold


As I reached the ever-green shore.

Where is God;

God is Love, God is Judgment, God forgives.


God speaks through his believers


When I see nothing but my failure and abandonment,


I know it is only I to blame.

God does forgive, but as with David, he does not forget.


Try as I may to not be a failure, only God determines this.


His people will show me this.

For my Christain Poetry Blog, please follow this link:


Christian Poetry

LEONARDO DA VINCI (1452-1519)

Heaven smiled and he was born Da Vinci, Leonardo. The impact and resonance of his contribution to humanity is not measurable in mere mortal terms. Driven by an insatiable thirst for knowledge, his life's work is an awe inspiring synthesis of art, science and technology.

How is it that a figure who lived nearly five centuries ago, continues to fascinate and engage our interest today? With the recent discovery of a studio of a Da Vinci's that had been sealed for centuries and the ongoing debate regarding the true origin of the alleged Da Vinci Code, time again has resurrected and revitalized interest in perhaps the greatest thinker of all time.

Born the illegitimate son of a notary, Leonardo was born in 1452 in a small farmhouse in Anchiano. In 1457 he moved to Vinci where he stayed with his fathers family even though he was never legitimized. At the age of 14 Leonardo moved to Florence to begin an apprenticeship in the workshop of Verrocchio. At the time, Andrea del Verrochio was the most famous artist in Florence. During his tenure with Verrocchio, Leonardo learned the mixing of colors and painted simple parts of paintings. In June, 1472, Leonardo was listed as a member of the Painters Guild of Florence.

The Annunciation

The Annunciation, painted in 1480-1481, now hangs in the Louvre. It is a small painting with a deep and misty landscape with highly detailed flowers in the foreground very typical of Leonardo's style during his time in Florence.

THE LAST SUPPER

By far one of the most famous paintings of all time, the Last Supper was painted between 1495 and 1498 at the Santa Maria delle Grazie Monastery in Milan. This biblical scene, commissioned by the Friars of Saint Dominic is significant for it's incredible composition and the subtle emotional interplay between the apostles. Featuring great dexterity and mastery of the human form, this compelling work is at once a moving testament to Christianity and a marvel of DaVinci's virtuosity and technical finesse as a painter. This painting firmly establishes Leonardo's position as the supreme master artist of the high renaissance. At all times, Christ is the central focus of the scene. This is accomplished by placing Christ in the center of the painting and by placing all of the spatial lines and perspective points within the framework of the painting to draw the viewer to the very center of the tableau. The apostles are in fact supporting characters and each and every figure is majestically formed to frame and enhance the focus on the Christ figure. The years surrounding the period in which the Last Supper was painted were periods of intense anatomical studies for Da Vinci. It is a well known fact that Leonardo dissected cadavers in order to fully understand the complex workings of the muscles and inner workings of the human body. Of huge importance is to understand that the individual apostles are reacting to Christ's announcement that a traitor is among them. This is the very heart of this timeless, enduring image. The "Pathos" of each figure is brilliantly executed through gestures and reactions that reveal each apostle's individual astonishment, disbelief, and fear. Certainly one of the worlds most widely copied paintings, The Last Supper has greatly deteriorated over the years. This was due to Da Vinci's experimentation with pigments and the natural time-related decay. Initial conservation efforts date back to the early 18th century. The more recent restorations lasted twenty years concluding in June 1999.

MONA LISA DEL GIACONDA

Began in 1503, the Mona Lisa was a commissioned portrait of the Florentine nobleman, Francesco di Bartolommeo di Zanobi de Giocondo's third wife, Lisa di Antonio Maria di Noldo Gjerardini at the age of twenty four. Painted on poplar wood, the iconic imagery of the Mona Lisa is so ingrained into western culture that the enigmatic smile of the mysterious woman is nearly synonomous with art, itself. As with many of da Vinci's works, this painting has a stunning history. The allure and myth of the work Is matched with the technical and artistic virtuosity of the piece. The sublety of the magnificent smile, the richly layered and highly detailed background are hallmarks of a process known as sfumato. Utilizing layers and layers of glazes, the illusion of depth is achieved. This technique, highly developed by the Dutch masters, was adopted and perfected to such a degree by Leonardo that it became a Da Vinci trademark. Another fine example of sfumato is The Virgin of The Rocks (1484) National Gallery, London.

The original Mona Lisa was actually larger than the present 77 x 53 cm. Originally, there were two columns one on each side of the figure which made it much clearer that the young woman is seated on a terrace. Leonardo worked on Mona Lisa for 4 years and kept the painting himself. Some believe that he was simply unable to part with it. Nine years later, arriving in France, the painting was in his baggage, and was sold to King Francis I. Amboise, Fountainbleau, Versailles, Ludwig XIV's collection and the Louvre were all homes to this alluring masterpiece. Napolean removed the painting from the Louvre and hung it in his bedroom. Upon his banishment to Elba, the Mona Lisa was returned to the Louvre.

In 1911, the painting was stolen by an italian art thief. Ironically, two years later, the Mona Lisa resurfaced in Florence, the city of its true origin! Eventually the painting made it's way back to the Louvre. In the 60s and 70's, The Mona Lisa was exhibited in New York, Tokyo and Moscow. Today the masterpiece is in permanent residence in the Louvre and international law prohibits any foreign exhibition.

THE ARTIST AS NATURE'S OBSERVER

In addition to Leonardo's extraodinary contributions to the world of art, his powers of divine intellect led him to explore many other fields of endeavor. The renaissance was the period in which science and art blended together in the search for the purest, logical, and analytical observation of nature. The Homo - Vitruvianus by Da Vinci is a study of proportions with the human figure inscribed in a circle and a square is a superb example of this philosophy and the period's quest for scientific analysis.

Leonardo again placed himself at the forefront of this new age of reason and intellect. His commitment to observation of the human body is unsurpassed and included skeletal and muscle studies, respiratory and digestive systems and the evolution of the fetus within the womb. The collection of Leonardo's anatomical studies consist of roughly two hundred folios and are kept at the Royal Library at Windsor, England. Additionally daVinci's vast study of nature include the action of light, the growth of plants and the flow of water.

THE SYTHESIS OF ART AND TECHNOLOGY

Considering the scope and vision of Leonardo's power of expression and the multitude of interests that inspired and intrigued him, it would be next to impossible to list them all. His spirit of scientific inquiry coupled with a daring and inventive mind allowed him to explore and elaborate on inventions and concepts as varied as engines, gears and pulleys flow mills and irrigational aqueducts. Fascinated with flight, Leonardo carefully observed birds and their wing structures. Applying these deceptively simple principles to mechanics and technology, he made numerous illustrations depicting machines of flight which are in essence the "working plans " for hang-gliders, planes and helicopters which exist today. This is but one of the many examples of why Leonardo da Vinci is considered an enigma that lived centuries ahead of his time.

AN INVITATION TO FRANCE

In autumn of 1516 Leonardo arrived in Amboise, at the invitation of King Francis I. He lived in the small castle cloux and pursued his hydrological studies. At the age of 67, the great master passed away on May 2, 1519. His health had severely deteriorated and paralysis had taken over the right side of his body. Leonardo da Vinci's remains are in the Chapel of St. Hubert situated within the king castle complex in Amboise, France.

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST

Considered the last of Leonardo's verifiable works, this painting is strikingly different from previous visual conceptions of the saint. It is a powerful work in it's subtle simplicity and contains four recurring elements or themes consistent with Da Vinci's other dazzingly poetic paintings: the flowing curly hair defined with incredible precision, the enigmatic smile, peering through deep, dense shadows and perhaps most poignant, a finger pointing to heaven.

PICTURE INFORMATION AND SOURCES

1.) Self Portrait. 1512. Red Chalk on Paper. Biblioteka Reale. Turin, Italy.


2.) The Annunciation. c. 1472-1475. Oil and Tempera on Wood. Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy


3.) The Last Supper. 1495-1498. Oil and Tempera on Plaster. Fresco, 460 x 880 cm (15 x 29 ft)
Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, (Refectory). Milan, Italy.


4.) The Last Supper (detail of Jesus) see above.


5.) Mona Lisa. (La Gioconda) 1503-1506. Oil on Wood. Louvre, Paris, France.


6.) The Virgin of the Rocks. 1503-1506. Oil on Wood, 189.5 x 120 cm (6 x 4 ft.)


The National Gallery. London, England


7.) The Proportions of the Human Figure (Vitruvia Man). 1490. Pen, ink and watercolor over metalpoint.
Galleria dell 'Accademia. Venice, Italy.


8.) Female genitals and foetus in the uterus. 1510-1512. Windsor, Royal Library (RL 1901r: K/P 197v)


9.) Study for flying machine. C.1487-1490 (the so-called "helicopter") Ms B f. 83v


10.) St. John the Baptist. c.1573-1516. Oil on Wood. Louvre, Paris, France.

WEBSITES AND WEBPAGE RESOURCES:

www.kausal.com/leonardo/


www.mos.org/leonardo


www.iblibio.org/wm/paint/auth/vinci


www.artchive.com.com/artchive/L/leonardo.html


http://library.thinkquest.org/3044/adv_over.html


www.bbc.uk/science/leonardo/


www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/vasari/.html


www.island-offreedom.com/DAVINCI.HTML

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES:

Leonardo Da Vinci


By Carlo Pedretti


Published by TAJ Books


Cobham, Surrey


United Kingdom

Renaissance


Great Ages of Man


Time-Life Books


Copyright 1965

Art: Context and Criticism


By John Kissick


Penn State University


Published by Wm.C. Brown Communications, Inc.


Copyright 1993.

This Article Copyright 2005 by John Keaton. All Rights Reserved.

Optimistic attitude is depicted in the pessimistic world by the existentialists. Existentialists look more constructive and life-lover. They are constructive not because they see the world meaningful but because they love their material life. Individualism, liberty and self-judgement being non-conformist are what existentialists look forward to. Sartre, Camus and Beckett all started their career with existentialism. However, Sartre and Camus remained existential and Beckett went one step ahead and became absurdist.

Sartre and Camus somewhere look standing and advocating for the continuation of existence whereas Beckett looks interested in breaking and discontinuing the existence. Myth of Sisyphus, End Game and Waiting for Godot reflect some of the differences between existentialism and absurdism. The job that has been assigned to Sisyphus by the God is, of course, meaningless. But, Sysiphus challenges that and tries to produce something meaningful out of meaninglessness. On the other hand, Beckett sees this world a complete heap of meaninglessness and he himself becomes the prey of pessimism. So is the reflection that we find from End Game and Waiting for Godot.

Now, the question comes if this world and our life have got some sort of meaning at all. Individual perspectives could definitely be different but still the another question remains unanswered if living for the meaningless life having meaningless struggle is worthier than waiting peacefully for the death…!

If we are really born to die, should we not think twice before we live a life in a constant chaos, struggle and confusion? Or Is there any meaningful difference between Existentialists and Absurdists as long as both accept the meaninglessness of life and ultimate reality as death?

Millions of people are dying of starvation, HIV-AIDS and by Wars, Terrorist Acts or Civil Unrest around the World. What are we doing about it? What is humanity doing to solve these problems? Is this the best humans can do; is this really an acceptable response.

Indeed, I have witnessed the noble efforts of the NGOs and all the World Leaders and those high-profile entertainers. I would like to make a point. The point is all this BS, Movie Star Publicity, Bono Concerts and Non-profits and all this commotion and sending money in isn't working. No one is doing anything to fix the real problems, only the symptoms. This is typical of Politically Correct methodology that permeates the world.

There are too many humans reproducing too fast for a sustainable civilization and there is too much corruption between the aid and the recipients. In the case of the Nairobi Slums it appears that the Nairobi City Council and Kenya Government do not care, perhaps they may, but we can only go by the actions not the political speeches or rhetoric.

The problems there could potentially be solved for less than 150 million dollars, which is nothing considering 800,000 people live in one slum, named Kibera alone. Over 1.6 million slum inhabitants total live in and around Nairobi, Kenya. Worse the US funds 1.6 Billion in Aid to Kenya and so far lots of promises and not much else.

With the proper plan completed to fix this problem it makes a statement to the WORLD that we can actually solve this problem for real. So, either they need to do it or we need to send a message to all these committees, publicity hounds and NGOs. They have not solved the problem; they have; "FAILED!"

Why can't we divert AID to Kenya; after all what is the aid for; paying-off politicians? Great, but "Free-Money" comes with stipulations. Look either you care about "Humans Dying" or you do not. Sending in AID that never gets there and knowing it won't is a LIE. It proves you do not care. We need to stop the band-aids and fix the problems.

Inside information


Illegal say some


As for me it is fun


When I get a hunch


Learn so very much


Whether over lunch


Or together with a bunch


Of prayerful prophets


Entrepreneurs for profit


Innovators who feel it


The waves of change


Market transitions


Repeatedly rearrange


Some think it strange


No I'm not deranged


Just intuitive deep within


This isn't psycho babble


Neither some clever spin


I'ts the power of heaven


The spirit of revelation


Giving wise illumination


Indelible sensations


Profound creations


Divine articulation


Mighty manifestations


Insightful direction


Like an accurate radar


Identifying and exposing


Lie detection and deception


Moving me with inspiration


Beyond fearful intimidation


Transcending manipulation


Breaking countless barriers


Making me a revival carrier


This sweet inside information


From the Creator is fabulous


Reformative not ridiculous


Credible not incredulous


Father above cares for us


The Spirit within leads us


Speaks to and shows us


Gentle and peaceably


Never making a fuss


Serendipitous and smooth


God gets you in the groove


Guides you to the green


Like a magnetic machine


Attracting acumen and assets


Teaching you how to invest


Listen, learn, and resist


The noise of the media


The pull of the brokers


The push of fear peddlers


The frenzy of speculators


Draw back and go inside


Distinguish, discern, divide


Between the truth and false


The perceived and the real


Instinctively learn to feel


See and smell the deal


Get rid of the sales speel


Replace anxiety with creativity


Stress and strain with gain


Invite the knowing Holy Spirit


To fully come in Jesus' Name


Make life a profitable game.

Tale of a Heart and Soul

This is an odd story (or tale)

to say the least,
where I came upon any angry old man once

in Garmish Germany, back in '73—.
We walked together in the surrounding hills

and thus, spotted two young boys—
with silver-white hair, perhaps three or four

years of age, playing with a wolf,
that was peaceful, joyful, quite happy….

"Awe," said the old man in fright and spite,

Just what do we have here?"
Spooked in admiration he was,

angry for whom, knows what!
He said to me, irritatingly, "If I were that

wolf beast, I'd be wild, free and happy!

I wish, I wish, I wish I could be!"

And I do believe, sometimes when we

wish hard enough, God grants us just
that, what we want, but shouldn't have…

a lesson perhaps, to be learned,
if not by the 'wisher' hopefully by others.

And then, all of a sudden, the old man

was calm, peaceful, joyful, singing a song,
wanting to play with the boys, haply,

as if he really knew them…!

(something was very wrong);

then the angry wolf, attacked him—
not me, perhaps (so I thought at the time)

it was the Old man, inside the wolf's skin,
and the wolf inside the man,

and the wolf killed him,
and I shot the wolf…!

#1784 4-8-2007 Sometimes things happen for reasons beyond our comprehension, and simply not knowing why, so we guess at its internal structure, its motivation, reasoning, motives for being, happening, when it is the simplest of all to say what you really think and feel, and that is usually right. As in this case, perhaps the man got his wish, and envy got its revenge, one of the deadly seven sins.

I went to the bathroom


To take a much needed _


And what did surprise me?


Someone looking at me


Through the other side


Of the old dirty window


Outdoors in the sunshine


Baking in the Florida heat


Atop a water apparatus


Which I use for the yard


I saw a friendly lizard


A small scaly reptile


With an elongate body


A tapering tantalizing tail


Two pair of little legs


With very long toes


This terrestrial species


A miniature dinosaur


With skin like leather


Ideal for climates tropical


Speedy and furiously fast


Moving like a lightning bolt


Many lizards run around


To the amazement of


My happy Canadian wife


Who had never seen such


A glorious and fun creature


Throughout a cold winter


But the lizard out the window


Was for me particularly special


Able to impart companionship


During a quick bathroom break


Kind of like a "Hey, dude!"


"I'm here. How about you?"


"Alright man. How do you do?"


"Are you having a nice day?"


"Are things going you way?"


"As for me I'm just running


Around your pretty backyard."


"I thought I'd just say hello."


"Take a moment while you go


To peer in and sneak a peak.


Ask Mr. Davis what you think."


"I know I'm just a tiny lizard,


But I can be quite the wizard."


"I am most fast and furious


I like to eat insects delicious


Run from nasty snakes ferocious


Loud birds who peck mischievous."


"I play in your flowers and bushes


Sometimes sort through some trash


Chill out and time relaxingly pass."


"Have fun while you get done


All you will frantically do today.


Meanwhile I will continue to play."


I just wanted to quickly say 'hey!'

You're thinking your appearance needs some spicing up, and that you wouldn't mind adding a little color to a secret place. But you also know that, if you're going to invest your money in a permanent bit of body décor, you need to put some thought into its design.

So you head for your friendly neighborhood tattoo parlor (with the skyrocketing popularity of tattoos you're bound to have one) to look for inspiration. You know that whatever you select will become a permanent part of your existence. You can cover it up, but you can't escape it. So you will need to choose carefully.

The first thing you may notice when you enter your tattoo parlor is just how many designs there are. It's not unusual for every nearly square inch of a parlor's walls to be covered with posters, nearly every square inch of which is covered with designs. You are experiencing "flash", and not because all of those designs and colors make your eyes feel like that a flashbulb just nailed them.

Tattooing was a staple of traveling carnivals in the early to mid 20th century, and carnival barkers were notorious for the shelves and shelves of cheesy gaudy prizes which they used to lure players to games completely rigged to relieve them of their money. Those prizes were known, among the barkers, as "flash", and it may be that the carnival tattoo artists adopted the term for their selection of tattoo designs.

But however they came by the name, those posters covering the walls at your tattoo parlor are called the "flash."

So, if you find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer number and variety of tattoo designs, it might be a good time to step back from the flash and do some self-evaluation. Decide what you want your tattoo design to say about you, or what you want to say to the rest of the world with your tattoo.

Tattoos originated as ancient, symbolic art forms, and many of them retain their symbolic meanings today. So you could choose a tattoo based on its meaning.

Or, you could just want a tattoo that commemorates something or someone important to you.

You can start by returning to the flash and seeing if there are any designs which keep catching your eye. Narrow your choice to those that have the most appeal, and then do a little more digging. Find out if one of those tattoo designs says something about you, and you'll be much closer to getting one you won't eventually regret.

If you are female, you may instinctively be drawn to the butterfly tattoo designs. You wouldn't be alone; butterfly tattoo designs are the most-often requested by women. And they have an enchanting history; butterflies have, from ancient times, been seen as the perfect symbol for the human struggle to move from the lower to higher realms of existence, like the butterfly emerges from its cocoon. A small butterfly tattoo can make a big statement!

Women are also drawn to floral tattoos. Cherry blossom tattoo designs, although they are generally used just as accents for much larger tattoos, are reminders, in Japanese culture, of the beauty and impermanence of human life.

Peonies, floral tattoo designs even more showy than roses, represent luck and prosperity in Oriental cultures. If you are a male with a risk-taking nature, not afraid to sport a peony tattoo, it would certainly be an appropriate choice; it represents to the Japanese a gambling nature.

And, of course, there's the rose. It's the most popular floral tattoo design and the best-loved flower in Western culture. The rose has come to represent the epitome of beauty. But roses are not without their thorns, so you can communicate a double message with a rose tattoo.

Even the color of the rose tattoo design you choose will say something. Red roses are a symbol of passionate love; white roses are a symbol of purity; and yellow roses are a symbol of friendship. There are even black rose tattoo designs, for those with an antiauthoritarian streak.

Then there are the animals. They can range from a tiny frog to a U.C. Marine Corps Bull Dog, or a psychedelic Dragon. If you have a love for a particular kind of animal, or identify with the traits which we usually assign to different species of animals, you might find the perfect tattoo design in the tattoo flash zoo.

If you see yourself as sleek, independent, and powerful, a panther tattoo design might communicate your self-image to the world. If you identify with the wild and free American mustang, your tattoo artist can accommodate you. You may be as shy as a deer, smart as a fox, or hor** as a toad. All doable tattoo designs.

If you have the money and the available skin, in fact, you can have an entire menagerie of tattoo designs, providing an animal totem for each of your personality traits.

There are also tattoo designs to appeal to those of a religious or personal nature. One of the most widely known is the Celtic Cross, which has its origins both in the Christian Cross and Celtic fertility symbols. Other popular Christian tattoo designs are Praying Hands, the Rock of Ages, and, of course, images of Jesus.

If you are into astrology, you are sure to find your Zodiac sign in a tattoo design. And if you believe in Tarot cards as predictors of the future, you will be amazed at the breathtaking Tarot tattoo designs available. There are twenty-six of them available, one for each card, so you can pick the ones that you think hold the most favorable outcome for you!

Tattoo designs, in other words, are art forms appealing to the artist in each of us. So give your imagination free rein, and it will carry you to the tattoo design that says exactly the right thing, both to, and about, YOU!