Martin Creed- Work no. 202

When are you walking
Through a sea of 20 000 black balloons
You may feel small
Yet infinite.

Images of self surrounding you
And multiplying you
And if you are happy,
Then they are happy.

Losing concept of space and place
You be ever present-
In a moment
That may seem dark
But in reality
Leads perfectly to light.

You are there.

Just as I am feeling sad and lost
You pick me up with gentle hands
And show me how you care.

Just as I find myself falling into darkness
Your light pours over the world
And shows me the brightness I could not see.

Just as I can't seem to find the words
You guide me to truth
And let songs be sung to share
How much I love you.

Just as I need you,
You are there.

Just as I miss you,
You come to my side.

So when I fall or can't find my way
I picture you
to bring warmth to every day.

Peace by the river

It has been three hours of light, softness and warmth
Looking over the calm river with slow minutes passing by.
Mouths and hands are coming and going
All are playing, smoking, drinking and being.
When one leaves another simply drifts in-
Nothing really changes here by the river.
Life passes simply and simply passes.
Here we find the peace that can touch us all,
An embrace that will catch you if ever you fall.

Jardin des Plantes

Hair blowing in soft breezes, I walk 

It is the first time in many months that I have felt this feeling

It pulses through my veins and fills my pores 

A tranquility that works its way deep to my core

This body of mine melts into the sands upon which I stand

Only serenity seems to remain

I watch as the world that surrounds me makes noise 

Yet only beautiful silence fills my ears

I become rippling water

The blooming flowers

The birds in the trees

Watching the world 

and letting it be

Spring's awakening

Light spills onto and over the whiteness of my page
Touching my left hand as if telling it to start working
An encouraging nudge to warm up the words as they are eager to escape

I can see the brightness of the day, the heat from the new sun
It is beckoning me, pulling me into his arms

I have all I need here
With the strong glow on my face
Serenity fills this place

There is something in the soft breeze
Of spring's first days
That allows all the hidden ventures to come back out and play

Alice

In your ninety-third year of life you are crouched over the bones that have taken you across the world.
They have finally grown tired from all the lives you have saved and the hugs that you gave.
Teeth long lost, replaced with new; too perfect to be true.
Hair gone but once it was long
And though parts of you may be fading away, your beauty has never been forgotten.

Your eyes speak the stories of your youth, still so keen and clear - willing you to ask
Where have you been and what have you seen?
Your days have now become woven together,
Flowing without intermission -
No gaps, as you watch the fast world moving around your slow shifting body.

I met you in the street and you spoke of your life, your childhood; the splendor and the strife.
Dates rolled of your tongue as you have told your story more than once.
It is simply finding the ear willing to listen.
With all the time in the world and so many accounts to tell
You inspired a poem, with words that flow so well.

And here lies the issue of ignorance

Yes sometimes ignorance can be bliss
but how can we move forward with silly ideas such as this.
If we were ignorant our whole lives through
then the world wouldn't be the one you always knew.
In Kingston I was impressed with those protesting today
because they were sticking up for the word they needed to say.
You know, we are in a country where we have the power of speech,
the power of ideas and opinions, that capacity to beseech...
but somehow we become so lazy
so we care not if we are heard.
So people think they have little say
but if you looked into things, you might find that ideas will suddenly sway.
Start listening to the news or reading the paper
and you'll find you care, sooner or later.
Open your eyes, take a moment in time,
appreciate your power and please embrace our country in this telling hour.

VOTE