Our Sibling Kin

Joseph Cornell in his Bedroom...Duane Michals

Every art is about the longing of One for the Other. Orphans that we are, we make our sibling kin out of anything we can find.

Charles Simic

(from Dime-Store Alchemy)

These words of Charles Simic from his book about Joseph Cornell and this poignant photo bring tears to my eyes.

Toward the Blue Peninsula

Toward the Blue Peninsula....Joseph Cornell (1903-1972)

It might be lonelier
Without the Loneliness --
I'm so accustomed to my Fate --
Perhaps the Other -- Peace --

Would interrupt the Dark --
And crowd the little Room --
Too scant -- by Cubits -- to contain
The Sacrament -- of Him --

I am not used to Hope --
It might intrude upon --
Its sweet parade -- blaspheme the place --
Ordained to Suffering --

It might be easier
To fail -- with Land in Sight --
Than gain -- My Blue Peninsula --
To perish -- of Delight --

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

Entrance to the Rose garden

Entrance to the Rose Garden ... 2006

Through the unknown, unremembered gate
When the last of earth left to discover
Is that which was the beginning

T S Eliot 1888-1965

Hermit

Hermit 2006

The Great Happiness

The Divine Land 1979 (Cecil C0llins)

The lowest level one could call the small happiness, and above that..a small unhappiness, where one is restricted to fear of losing the small happiness. Above is the great happiness, which means you have seen through the small happiness. I mean by that it doesn't satisfy you, and you are unhappy in a very deep way because you know there is a great happiness, and, if you can't experience that, you reject every other form of hapiness, because that is the happiness you know to be the greatest and the most real...Let me put it another way; you are unhappy because you can't reach it but you are very happy because you can see it. In a word, you're alive...

Cecil Collins (1908 - 1989)