Brittle Sticks

Brittle Sticks

 

 

i draw stick figures

with wooden moods

little branch arms of dead muscle

a falling off the tree inevitable

 

i draw stick figures

with leafy minds turning autumn

forgetful roots growing in wrong directions

a falling of the mind inevitable

 

i draw stick figures

and they draw me

flannel colors breezily happy

not a care in the world remembered

a falling off this earth

inevitable

down there no spring

only an eternal winter

 

i draw stick figures

bare thoughts put to paper

my words walk rigidly

across the page

a falling of the pen

 

inevitably

inevitable

 

i draw stick figures

and even i laugh out loud

as i call this “art.”

Reviews

[Ted Kniffen]

I draw caricatures of stick figures ... trying to flesh them out but inevitably they remain stick figures. Is it art? Not sure, but your playful poem certainly is.

Happy New Year my friend.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, and Happy New Year to you, Ted,
j.

[Red Brick Keshner]

This seems to be a top notch candidate for most memorable j-poem. Something subtle but staying, a poet’s stay, inevitably perpetualising… falling into Parnassos from above. I figure it’d stick.
Freds

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for those very kind words,
j.

[andrew mitchell]

Brilliant! Another favourite of yours.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, andrew,
j.

[redzone]

HEY!! Us stick figured people are real. We are art and we have purpose!! Not sure what that is, but purpose none the less... ;0) Our purpose is to walk stoically and with chin up, just go along, ask no questions, and be the kindling for the fire that destroys the forest.

I feel too, a sadness of falling (failing?) "inevitable/ down there no spring/ only an eternal winter". OUCH! Jacob, if I may, the stick figures you draw, the art you create, is ART in the largest sense. It has both meaning and effect. So, thank you.
-Curt

[jacob erin-cilberto]

we hope as poets to have both meaning and effect....thank you for the encouraging words, Curt.
j.

[Stella Armour]

LS Lowry found fame with his little stick people Jacob, an artist you are by accident if not by design :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I think more accident than design...thank you, Stella,
j.

[Brandy]

I'm seeing stick figures, and they are dancing all over the page. : )
This is cute.

You've given them all a personality, and they seem to enjoy drawing you. Creative little creatures, indeed. : ) Life is better when you think outside the box, and you certainly have here.

Your thoughts bring a smile, Jacob. : )

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I wish you could tell that to my students....it is often a struggle to get them to think outside the box, but that is what I try to do...we are taught to accept what is handed down and use it...but we created if we go outside of that.
I appreciate muchly what you said here, Brandy.
thanks
j.

[Joli Dy]

I'm in awe of this. I've read it multiple times. It's truly wonderful. My favorite line speaks of you drawing stick figures, and they also draw you.
I love their wooden moods and rigid steps, and as my friend Paul wrote to me, "I feel called out".

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for your words, Jo,
j.