Changes

Hello everyone-

Those of you who have a keen eye for detail will have noticed by now that I haven’t posted any poem & picture pairs for the past few days. And that’s because I’ve decided to end the “Poems & Pictures” daily art challenge for myself.

While I enjoy posting (and I hope you enjoy visiting), I realize that the time I take to create this work every evening is time that would be better dedicated to things like exercising, meditating, and executing my paintings- all things that have been edged out to the sidelines lately…especially exercising. 🙂 I proved to myself in 2010 that I can stick with something daily if I really want to- so now it’s time to apply that to aspects that will deliver more balance in my life, such as yoga. And flossing. And painting, did I mention painting?

Most of my readers got here because they enjoy my artwork- and don’t worry, that’s not going to end. But I’m going to give myself the break I need by not requiring myself to post daily. I’m confident that this will result in more contemplative, well-resolved works. And sanity. And possibly a skinnier butt.

So- what next? 3 things-

1. I know a lot of you are artists yourself. So, if you have a poem and picture pair to share, send it to me: info@mariannebland.com. If I like it, I’ll post it! Include your name and a link to your website. (No promises on turnaround time, though! That’s defeating the whole de-stress goal)

2. I’m still going to put together a poems & pictures mini-book! Get caught up and go backwards to view the poetry archives (spanning back through August of 2011) to vote for your favorites. I’ll use those votes to select the pairs that will end up in my book and announce giveaways and sales options here.

3. This blog, as always, will continue to be my primary outlet for new artwork. So when I do feel like posting a poem, a rant, a drawing, or *gasp* new paintings, you’ll be the first to know. Provided you return, as I hope you will. 🙂

Thanks for your support and understanding!

:Love,

Marianne

 

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Thought trees

On these long drives the trees
meet road-weary retinas that
turn them into rorschach blots
reflecting the thought parade
marching in circles in my skull

Guess

“Guess” he said.
“You know I hate the guessing game.”
I always have.
Too practical to waste the time,
annoyed that the questioner knows
the answer they’re asking for
anyway
yet he grins and asks again
and I flare my nostrils
and he wins

The bothers

The bothers are creatures who come on strong
having conspired with the shouldn’t-have-tos,
advised by the how-dare-theys,
ranks fortified with rancor
to ball up fists
and shout and rail
unwelcome but reliable visitors
brief but vile
snippy slitherers

With

It had been years
since I risked a road less traveled
fraught with silence
and squirrely shadows
But the fears
melted off in the sun
walking into the desert with my mom

Panorama

San Francisco is one of those places
fallen out of time, feeling like every era at once
iconic and perpetual
where anything and everything happens daily
like a movie set you’ve unwittingly stepped into