Back Stairs, poem by Thomas R. Thomas

BACK STAIRS
by Thomas R. Thomas 

I remember the Brethren church in LA
where my Mom and Grandma grew up.
 
It was one of those old wooden
churches with back stairs and
an attic to hide in.
 
It was before I started
school, and once a week
Mommy would go to the WMC
and I would sit at her feet,
playing all day with the
same toy. I would explore
those back stairs, and
crawl through the attic.
 
On Sundays Grandma would stand
at the front of the church and
sing solos like an angel, and
I would lay with my head
on Mommy’s breast.
 
I wonder how those beautiful
songs of peace and joy could
come out of her mouth when
inside she was so cold and dark.
 
My mother was captured by
that cold darkness like she
was captured by the cigarettes
that sat in her drawer, and we
never once saw them in her mouth,
years later telling the Doctor in front
of my sister that she never smoked.
Now I hold their hands, and walk
Those stairs, open the attic doors.
We feel the cold rush of air,
And gaze into the shadows.

“Back Stairs” appears in Thomas R. Thomas‘s new collection Five Lines (World Parade Books, October 2013), available at Amazon.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Thomas R. Thomas was born in Los Angeles and grew up in the San Gabriel Valley west of LA. Currently, he lives in Long Beach, California. For his day job, he is a software QA Analyst. He volunteers for Tebot Bach, a community poetry organization, in Huntington Beach. Thomas has been published in Don’t Blame the Ugly Mug: 10 Years of 2 Idiots Peddling Poetry, Creepy Gnome, Carnival, Pipe Dream, Bank Heavy Press, Conceit Magazine, Electric Windmill & Marco Polo, and the Silver Birch Press Summer Anthology. In November 2012, Carnival released his eChapbook, Scorpio, and Washing Machine Press released a chapbooklette called Tanka. In October 2013, World Parade Books published a book of his poetry, Five Lines. Visit the author’s website at thomasrthomas.org.

Photo: “A Staircase in Silhouette Against a Yellow Stained Glass Window” by David Evans. Prints available at art.com.

St. Peter Drops His Pen, New Yorker cartoon by Danny Shanahan

CAPTION: “Damn! God gave me that pen.” 

CREDIT: New Yorker cartoon by Danny Shanahan, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Find New Yorker cartoons at CondeNastStore.com.

Godspeed, Story Poem by Jason Kerzinski

GODSPEED

Story Poem by Jason Kerzinski

Mr. Porres, Mr. Porres, Mor. Porres. Is it okay to call you “Mister”? Or would you prefer Mr. Saint Porres? Have I offended the man who brought mouse, cat, bird, and dog together? That must have been a chore. How did you manage it? Did you tempt those creatures with lasagna? It must have been lasagna. Italian food can unite any group of folks. Lasagna and breadsticks. How stupid of me to leave out the breadsticks. Mouthwatering breadsticks with garlic butter. Did you serve wine? Again, I’m not thinking. Wine, lasagna, and breadsticks can unite a toad and a fox. Have you taken on that task, Mr. Porres? Pack your bags immediately and head for Grimes, Iowa. They have a large population of toads and foxes. I will rent a car for you this afternoon. I will rent you a Ford Taurus so you will remain inconspicuous. Good luck, Mr. Saint Martin de Porres, and Godspeed.

Note: “Godspeed” by Jason Kerzinski was originally published in the New Orleans Review, Volume 33, Number 2.

Andy Warhol and Cecilia Gimenez, Together Again

As mentioned in our August 31st post, the Campbell’s Tomato Soup cans with Warhol-inspired labels are available starting today at Target (yes, the “discount” store). Of those pictured in the photo above, I like the blue and green one best. Target will offer a limited edition of one million cans at 75 cents each.

Not to spoil the party (so I won’t talk about it here), but  readers may wish to check out livestrong.com for a discussion of the ingredients in Campbell’s Tomato Soup. (Anyway, if I buy a Warhol-inspired can of soup from Target, I don’t intend to open it!)

Since we’re discussing Warhol and soup, this post includes another entry in The Cecilia Prize, the contest that honors the good intentions of Cecilia Gimenez — the parishioner from Borja, Spain, who picked up a paint brush and tried (that’s the operative word) to restore “Ecce Homo,” a flaking fresco of Christ on the wall of her church. This Warhol-inspired entry, Ecce Soup, was created by Twitter @ewajoan.

Cecilia Gimenez and Andy Warhol’s Portrait of Marilyn Monroe

Today, we’re featuring another entry (at right) from The Ceclia Prize contest — this one by Twitter @srqu, who has created a triple triptych in the colors and style of Andy Warhol. (See below for Warhol’s triple triptych — is there a word for this? — of Marilyn Monroe.)

As most readers know, The Cecilia Prize honors Cecilia Gimenez, the amateur art restorer who has gained international attention by trying to repair a fresco of Christ’s face on the wall of the local Catholic church in Borja, Spain. A gallery of Cecilia Prize entries is available here. 

On our blog, we are only featuring entries inspired by the work of esteemed artists — to date, Rene Magritte, Leonardo da Vinci, and Andy Warhol.

Cecilia Gimenez and Mona Lisa

As we mentioned yesterday, Cecilia Gimenez — the octogenarian who botched a fresco restoration at a Catholic church in Borja, Spain — continues to inspire creativity across the globe. People are saying to themselves, “If she’s an artist, so am I!” To give this burgeoning talent pool an outlet for artistic expression, some people (I’m assuming they’re British because of the way they spell “honour”) have set up The Cecilia Prize — for “all the fixers out there,” as the website states.

Included in this post is another fine entry, Ecce Mona (by Twtter @psycher0s). As an art history refresher, we will remind readers that Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci some time between 1503 and 1506. Leonardo created what is now probably the world’s most famous painting in oil on a poplar panel. It is now on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

A friend once told me that when she’d visited the Louvre, she was disappointed at the Mona Lisa because “it was so small.” When my turn to see the painting in person finally arrived, I knew what to anticipate. I remember the room was crowded and no photos were allowed. Somehow, I wedged my way to the front of the onlookers. Seeing the Mona Lisa is like most other lifetime milestones — something you never forget. And, for the record, here are the painting’s dimensions: 77 cm x 53 cm, or 30 inches x 21 inches.

Cecilia Gimenez Takes Art World by Storm

Unless you’ve sworn off the news during the past few days, you’re familiar with Cecilia Gimenez, the 81-year-old attempting to shave off a few Purgatory points by doing some good works — in this case, restoring a 19th century fresco of Christ on the wall of her church in Borja, Spain.

For the record (and this is why I’m not showing how she ruined the icon), this blog assiduously avoids discussions of religion or politics — that’s not our territory. But I couldn’t resist commenting on this story — there are so many levels and layers to it.

First, it’s a fine example when your children ask, “What does it mean when someone says ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions’?”

Second, it shows the value of getting regular eye checkups. I have to wonder if Cecelia Gimenez has cataracts. Before her cataract operation, my mother could not distinguish yellow from white or brown from purple. She had the front door of her house painted a Barney purple, thinking it was “umber” (true story, and I have the photos to prove it!).

Third, I’m wondering if the other parishioners stopped Cecilia Gimenez before she was finished with her work. (You know how messy works-in-progress can look!)

Finally, I feel this story expresses the importance of art education — and why we need to support funding for the arts (hey, that sounds political).

Cecilia Gimenez refuses to repent for her sins (mortal? venial?) and appears belligerent, arrogant, self-satisfied, defiant, and convinced her work is beautiful. Wait a minute. She sounds like most of the artists I know. Welcome to the club, Cecilia!

Articles about this art restoration debacle have swept the Internet — but my favorite is a piece at hyperallergic.com called “Octogenarian Restorer Strikes Again.” The brilliantly written article imagines what Cecilia Gimenez could accomplish if allowed to restore some of the world’s art treasures, including Andy Warhol‘s portrait of Elizabeth Taylor  (below), Munch’s “The Scream,” Van Gogh‘s self-portrait, Vermeer‘s “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” and Leonardo‘s “Mona Lisa.”

Applause for Silver Birch Press Author Merrill Farnsworth

Merrill Farnsworth is one of the most gifted artists we’ve ever encountered. (She’s pictured at right in New York City, June 2012, at the venue where her play Jezebel’s Got the Blues was performed as part of The Puzzle Festival of New Works.) Merrill is an award-winning playwright and songwriter, actor, short story writer, and poet (and probably a few more things I’ve forgotten). Silver Birch Press was honored to publish her play Jezebel’s Got the Blues, which has received many 5-star reviews on Amazon.com, available here. Here’s one of my favorites:

5 stars: “Jezebel” has got style and class,” by Thomas Neilson: These monologues and dialogues are spiritual, profound, irreverent, funny, and thought-provoking. I loved all these tales, although my personal favorite was the story of Noah’s Ark told from the perspective of the rat on board. The author — Merrill Farnsworth — has a way of turning a traditional bible story on its head, bringing it alive, and making it meaningful and profound in a new way. I highly recommend this book.

Praise for Silver Birch Press Author, Merrill Farnsworth

In June 2012, Silver Birch Press released Jezebel’s Got the Blues…And Other Works of Imagination, a collection of performance pieces by Merrill Farnsworth. The same month, Merrill took the show to New York City, where it was among a select few featured in The Puzzle Festival of New Work. Merrill recently received a letter from one of the attendees and was kind enough to share it (see below — emphasis mine!).

TEXT OF LETTER: Encountering something familiar from another angle may give us insights attainable in no other way. Merrill Farnsworth uses this approach in her ingenious collection of monologues and dialogues inspired by the Old Testament. In her hands, these well known stories come off the page and into the hearts and imaginations of those who witness her skill. By giving voice to the rouge on Jezebel’s face, we are prompted to see the woman who is so much more than her calling-card name. By giving voice to the scissors that cut off Samson’s hair, we are invited to see the frivolous dimensions of one who relies on brute strength to navigate the world. These and other personifications open windows to meanings often missed in these great pieces of the Biblical record. For anyone who wants to probe the power of the stories of our faith, Jezebel’s Got The Blues is a find. Get it and be ready to laugh loud and hard and to weep some tears of sweet recognition.”

The Reverend Susan Blackburn Heath, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (Columbia, South Carolina)

Find Jezebel’s Got the Blues at Amazon.com here.