Common gods is a series about objects and concepts I think we unconsciously worship or pay homage to.
Zea mays
This piece immerged after reading Michael Pollen’s Zea Mays section, in the Botany of Desire. I was captivated by the idea of a tyrannical plant, a plant with intent.
Within the small scroll there is a quote from Walden.
“All that I can say, then, with respect to farming on a large scale- I have always cultivated a garden-was that I had had my seeds ready. Many think that seeds improve with age. I have no doubt that time discriminates between the good and the bad; and when at last I shall plant I will less likely be disappointed. But I would say to my fellows, once and for all, as long as possible live free and uncommitted. It makes but little difference if you are committed to a farm or a county jail.”
True Love
The components of this piece are: a fortune from a fortune cookie that reads, ‘ You will find someone special for whom you have been waiting, very soon’, the myth of Atalanta and the golden apples, the devil and the lovers cards from the Raider Waite Tarot deck , a matchbox and matchsticks.
Pagan Prayer
Water is being, a language
A God, the oak
Are a race of gods
And beetles surely
Tambien
Ranas call down the rain
Who’s to say?
They’re no oracle
There’s divine tripe for god’s
Sake
Epona the forgotten
One that has led me
By the hand
I bow to you
Divine mare
Tambien(also)
Ranas(frogs)
Lares Familiares is a personal altar and self-portrait, containing horse hair, a childhood image, Pagan Prayer, personal objects, the sun tarot card, and this quote from Walden.
“So many autumn, ay, and winter days spent outside the town, trying to hear what was in the wind, to hear and carry it express! I well- nigh sunk all my capital in it, and lost my own breath into the bargain, running into the face of it.”
Cahoots
I am in cahoots with the wind
Winnowing
Imagine the Sailor!
I scarcely can
I am afraid
of depths
Once I complained
to a friend about mountains
“They’re always in the way
of the horizon”
“Yes, but what of the view
from the top”
she whispered
Embarrassed, I promise
never to be so
blindsighted again
To this same friend
I said, “I want to
throw myself into the wind”
and did
for a half a life and back
This is what I learned there
The wind is with us
Everywhere
Inner zephyr
BloodJetstream
Maelstrom
and middling
The door of breath swings
Like a screen in spring
Unhinged
and unabated
I just can’t help but say,
How can anyone not see?
That the wind
are waves
and the waves
are leaves
The leaves
are rain
and the rain
a breeze
The breeze
is a whistle
the whistle
a bird
The bird
is a song
the song
a whale
The whale
an eddy
the eddy
a wave
The wave…
What force of nature do you feel most drawn too? Do you have any ‘running’ metaphors in your life? Have you ever noticed personal symbols in your life’s journey that guided or informed you?
Do you serve any common gods? I would much enjoy chatting with you about such things.
VSVEVG (very simple very easy very good) 