Ghost Art

(Inspired by The Great Divorce)

“‘There is no good telling us about this country, for we see it already.
In fact we see it better than you do.’

‘Then there’s never going to be any point in painting here?’

‘I don’t say that. When you’ve grown into a Person
(it’s all right, we all had to do it)
there’ll be some things which you’ll see better than anyone else.
One of the things you’ll want to do will be to tell us about them.
But not yet. At present your business is to see.

Come and see. He is endless. Come and feed.’”

C. S. Lewis
The Great Divorce

The grass still hurts to walk upon,
Blades pierce translucent feet. Yet still
The Solid People hold my arms,
The mountain glories numb my pain.

I begin to cry.

Not because of the grass,
         Because of the brushes and paints left on the bus,
                         Of the drink to surrender my copyrights…
                                                                              My          rights…
                                                                              My                     …
                                                                              Folly—But because I didn’t drink sooner,
                                                                                                    Because I didn’t taste sooner,
                                                                                                                     I didn't see.

I begin to laugh. 

Perhaps someday I’ll paint again.
Right now I don’t much care, for I
Become a Solid Man with every step.
All see the glory. Who needs paint? 

I begin to weep.

For the ones who stayed behind,
       The ones I used to know: critics, theorists, celebrities, students, dreamers,
               Ones who still call Art god
      As if She could make them gods. 
                        I was one of them.
                         Was a mercy the critics cut me,
                                           Like the grass cuts me… a warning against posterity,
                                                                                            A call to seek eternity.

I begin to sing. 

Come and see.
He is endless.
Come and feed.

(Spring 2015)