Beauty. Freedom. Truth & Love.

Sure, the title of this post is a shameless theft of the central mantra of the bohemian revolutionaries of Moulin Rouge, but it so aptly describes the purpose of this blog.  To focus on that which is inherently beautiful, promotes freedom of expression, furthers fundamental truths, and above all, embodies love.

What follows is a small, ongoing collection of art, poetry, song lyrics, photos and real-life examples of the four central themes above.  Those things which move the soul, feed the imagination and put a bounce in the step.  The small joys in life, if you will.

The collection begins with my all-time absolute favorite poem, as well as the song lyrics which inspired the title of this blog and the background art.

What most inspires you?  What feeds your soul, stirs your imagination and bring simple joys to your life?  Please share!

"i carry your heart with me"

e.e. cummings

from Complete Poems 1904-1962

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done

by only me is your doing, my darling)

                                                        i fear

no fate(for you are my fate, my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)

Green And Gray
Nickel Creek

I'm in a room full of people, all hanging on one person's breath.
We would all vote him most likely to be loved to death.
I hope he still wants it, but it might remind him of when,
he aimed for the bulls eye and hit it nine times out of ten.
That one time his hand slipped, and I saw the dart sail away.
I don't know where it landed, but I'm guessing between green and gray.
We thought nothing of it, but it still haunts him like a ghost.
With all eyes upon him, except two that matter the most.

He says "Green is the color everyone sees al around me.
Gray is the color I see around her, and she's just a blur."
The more the corwd cheers, the less I can hear
and they don't really care what I play. It might be for her.
But for now it's between green and gray.

We paid and we cheered. Now we're gone and to us that feels right.
But for him every one of those evenings turns into a night.
With another hotel room where he lays awake to pretend
that he's doing fine with his notebook and discman for friends.

He says "Green is the color everyone sees al around me.
Gray is the color I see around her, and she's just a blur."
Night after night what I hear, what I write fills the room
and my head starts to sway. It might be for her,
but for now it's between green and gray.

I want you to love me, he whispers, unable to speak.
And he wonders aloud why feelings so strong make the body so weak.
Then he awoke. Now he's scared to death somebody heard.
If it was you, and you know her, please don't say a word.