Friday, October 28, 2011

Lost Painting

 Painting and Verse by Abe V Rotor


It was long time ago, I had a friend,
a real friend I wouldn't have painted for him
a mural on canvas the memories of childhood;
to friends happiness is shared, and the more
they do, the more it multiplies -
the essence of friendship, its soul.

So I thought.

And night and day, happy with the thought,
I labored sweetly with the sunlight of Amorsolo,
the warm color of the earth of Rembrandt,
passion of Van Gogh and simplicity of Cezanne,
and the purity of colors of an amateur.

I talked to the canvas, and it talked to me;
and the past heard us - childhood is alive:
the stream meanders to the sea,
the hills glow at sunrise and sunset,
trees quiver with birdsong and breeze;

 herons come to herald the Amihan
the wind that carries our kite high up,
up until the clouds break into rain,
and fish stir seeking the source of spring -
then, summer is gone.
Everybody seeks that freshness
that lightning and thunder bring,
to learn from nature, to temper the senses - 

lessons I learned early and carried on in life.
Yes, my friend will like my painting, I said,
for he loved things real, things original.
That was long, long time ago;
I lost a friend and a masterpiece. ~

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Man and Island

Dr Abe V Rotor
Painting by Leo Carlo Rotor 12, 5th prize winner, Human Values through Painting and Mural, Sathya Sai Education in Human Values (SSEHV), 2001

They say a happy island
makes a happy man,
a sad man makes it sad,
alone or in others' company;
for deep in the mind bloom
memories happy and sad,
whether the path was bright,

or dark as a stormy night.

It matters little if all is right
or one took the other turn,
if the mind is at ease;
like the sea after tempest,
 
settles down to rest
in silence and peace. ~