Yesterday was such a joyful day for me, my was heart full all day. I am so lucky, so blessed by others, others who truly care and go out of their way to let you know. They take the time to step outside of themselves and express care for you. Is there anything more important than caring for others and being able to express that caring?
I have not always felt deeply. I had to get out of my own hell to do that. But I was apparently quite determined to get out of that hell (long ago) and to feel deeply. Feeling deeply is about others, it is not about you. Feeling deeply is the capacity to feel the pain of others and then (because you care) to act upon it.
I have run into wonderful people, artists and poets who have the capacity to feel deeply, as expressed clearly in their work. In many ways their collective caring is a testament to man/womankind. Our prompt today at deVerse Poets “Poetics.” was from Brian and SueAnn. SueAnn’s art is very moving, it is filled with joy. Brian’s work is moving as you all know. The prompt today comes from him and it is to chose one of SueAnn’s paintings. I chose the one below that I find to be exquisite. However, I read Brian’s poem before doing any writing on the prompt – SO – this is kind of a mixed or double prompt of Brian’s poem and SueAnn’s art. We are at deVerse Poets today, Through The Artist’s Lense with wonderful artwork to choose from all created by SueAnn at SueAnn’s Journey. Please visit her work it is a real joy and will bring you joy.
By SueAnn
one more step along the way to anywhere
each step today a giant step for mankind
thank you john glen i am not really stealing your words
you noticed didn’t you that I said anywhere not nowhere
there is such power in words
after reading today the terrible words the ugly words
of brians poem words that made me grit my teeth
but good and true words real art of depth
words and art words are art words that make you feel
art that makes you feel like sueanns art gave me a wow feeling
i am going to switch the subject here a bit
dont skip a beat just follow what i say
feeling is the most important thing that you can do
i say that like an ultimatum and i mean it
i call it feeling deeply something we are taught not to do
we are taught the opposite which is not to feel at all
some feel but it is not enough you must feel deeply
feeling deeply is what many artists and poets do
you know when you read their poems or see their paintings
you know because they evoke within pain or joy or ecstasy
feeling deeply is what we each wish to do
but yeah but it takes willingness vulnerability
feeling deeply will give you empathy and deepen your work
whether with a computer a brush or paint or quill
you can go anywhere when you feel deeply
if you have allowed yourself to feel deeply
it doesn’t hurt again for you have gone somewhere with another
in their pain out of your own step by step with them
holding a strangers hand holding their pain
you no longer have any and you are free
you are free your words are free your paintings are free
your work comes from your soul now
now it will touch the world and reach hearts
now it will make a difference its a good thing
martha stewart i am not stealing your words either
so feel feel deeply touch the heart of another
it lightens the load for you for the other
really its nothing but a baby step each day
one more step along the way to somewhere
each step you take today a giant step for mankind because you feel it
noh where 
i love the conversational feel of this….as if we are just sitting down to coffee…and we would do well to listen…i would say i have rather high empathy which is a belssing and cruse…to feel is to hurt, to experience true joy, but you never know which when you open yourself….it can be rather raw and uncomfortable but also how do you know you are alive if you dont…so…it is a giant step for mankind…smiles…hope you had a great birthday….
Empathy and compassion are definitely a gift… and I agree, we must be cleared of selfish ways before we can truly experience the joy they bring.
I am glad you had a good day yesterday! It truly is nice to have a day that yourSELF is celebrated and recognized.
I agree with your poem about the importance of feeling deeply; sometimes indeed it is hard to do this, as you might enter into another person’s pain or sadness……….or into your own pain or sadness; but likewise feeling deeply may allow you to enter into someone else’s joy at a deep level too and really to be with them in that joy.
I do think when one reads poetry one can get a glimpse of depth as well. One can tell writing from the depths from writing from the surface. I treasure the depth always when it is shared with me; and oftentimes (not always) I try to honor my own depth by sharing it with those willing to journey with me.
Blessings!
Thank you for sharing your lovely reflections ~ In writing we can feel the poet’s words and if done well, the depth of his or her emotions and thoughts ~ I have two minds about this…some posts I share deeply, some posts I tread lightly as I don’t want the world reading too deeply into my words ! But it is a gift to feel deeply other’s experiences and to share that is even more amazing ~ Have a good week.
So many humans suffer from one of three feelings diseases: afraid to feel, afraid to feel too much, afraid to feel too little.
We drink feelings down, shoot them up and scowl at those expressing them.
My feelings showed me ME – but not until I quit being so grown up, immature, sophisticated, silly, intelligent, cold, hot, successful, logical and scared.
Wonderful piece of art and a fine poem.
Liz, your ideals are real. Never give them up.
Hugs!
Feeling! It’s something we don’t consider often enough—especially as poets (and other artists as well)—as we are “pushed” further from feeling and sentiment in order to achieve a certain aesthetic value—an almost mutually exclusive “feeling”, fear of feeling.
You’ve taken a bleak picture—one that has been chosen by at least 3 or 5 other poets (at least one other also rejoiced with it) and so have you. I find that interesting; that vision of something hopeful in a desolate image. Thanks for sharing (and feeling!)