I Fell for 99 Artists – A Poem by US Artist Mariah Wheeler

I Fell for 99 Artists

I fell hard for the 99, these dreamers who hungrily

feed us their songs, whose hearts flow

tenderpink, whose cup-shaped palms cry

long hidden crimson tales, who yearn

to say what must be said, reflect sun as does moon.

 

These are brave pioneers and hard working hand weavers,

who go, deep beyond brown crusted surface under time scarred skin,

to where the common river courses insistently, who are compelled

beyond reason to the depths, who spout gold and silver beads

of truth that we seldom want to hear, who carve

imperceptible azure openings straight up from life’s ever flowing river.

 

Who, on days of careless murder, when trees are slashed and mountains razed,

when even the Chatlist is mean, are the precious rueful ones, who continue pouring

light and hope.  I am desperate for this! and to know the ones who deftly provide

undeniable evidence that humans do have souls and depth and connection.

 

I fell for these 99 hearts on their sleeves who live

in the pulsing reeds of love and peculiarity and angst, who name

the purple puzzle pieces of this life, who whisper in tingling chimes

and through earthen megaphones,  who birth visions on reflective easels

of mystery and reverence.

 

I fell hard for 99 Artists who hungrily feed, whose hearts flow, who cry, who yearn, who

go deep, who are compelled, who carve, who pour out on days of carelessness, who

provide evidence, who live in love, who name, who whisper, who birth!

 

Mariah Wheeler

inspired by Drew Becker’s poem, I Fell for Thirteen Dreamers

—

 

Mariah Wheeler is a jeweler and artist, owner of The Joyful Jewel, a gallery of art and fine craft offering ‘local art from the heart’ from 100 local artists located in the center of Pittsboro, North Carolina south of Chapel Hill and Durham, and West of Raleigh.

Mariah hosts a bi-annual event where writers write about the art in the store, and this time, she was inspired by a poem in a book of Drew Becker’s poetry, I Fell for Thirteen Dreamers.

The Joyful Jewel hosts several events a month bringing artists, musicians, writers and patrons together to celebrate and relax in the soul-nourishing delights of creativity.

Tags: artist cooperative in Pittsboro, Debut poetry by women, North Carolina poetry, poetry about artists, poetry by artists

Category: Poetry by Women Poets