Monday Morning Musings:
“I think the life of my community and most communities depends on the storytellers. We only know anything about the Roman Empire or about the lives of the people within the Greek polis from the plays that exist. We can find out from historical archives what laws were in place, but who they affected and how they affected those folks and those people – we only know from the stories and from the storytellers of that culture.”
–Tarell Alvin McCraney, playwright, from an interview on All Things Considered, March 2, 2019
We see, hear, feel art,
the stories of people and places
through many times, in many spaces. . .
Here–in a building of beaux-arts design
an enthusiastic staff helps us find
our relative’s work–mostly signed–
they pull boxes and boxes, and we’re delighted,
excited to see so many sketches and prints,
a box from his WPA tenure, hints
of the world around him,
and then some of tropical splendor–
realism and abstract and in-between–
perhaps a Chagall influence can be seen?
I like to think they knew each other
from their Belarus and French connections
though these are merely my fantasy, projections
I send out into to space
to find a place
in a story I tell. . .
Well—onward
to another place,
we traipse a bit north
to a university
to see–
and listen
to our daughter talk of art
(be still my heart)
and therapy—
and I’m aware
of all the tales that could be told
young, old, sad, bold–
hers and mine
and those around us,
we capture moments, capture time,
art, part of our stories,
part of our hearts
Arriving in the mail,
these little bowls,
not great art, but
that wasn’t the goal
instead, when we look at them
we’ll remember part of our story—
a date—a day
to work with clay.
Then comes another night
another artist
takes his place
with tales and music
we embrace
Bruce Springsteen’s show
he says it’s magic
and so, we’re caught in his spell
as he tells us about his life
his parents, his mentors
his friends, his wife,
we learn about the boyhood beech tree
he climbed, but now it’s ceased to be,
moving tales of his father
then his mother
and all the others,
people who influenced him
to tell his stories in music,
the songs of generations come
and gone.
Another day,
there’s rhythm and swing,
and it does mean a thing
telling a story of people and place
strings, horn, and bass,
blues chords and a riff–
there, a glimpse of what if?
Ella and Count Basie,
nothing too racy, just jazz with a pop
a trumpet note that might never stop,
and we’re clapping for the tapping
but when we go outside
the rain has turned to snow.
The mood? Let’s call it indigo

Watching the snow. Mood Indigo, or perhaps Kind of Blue.
And so, it goes–
we walk to the train
and it’s home again
to think of stories in music,
and rhyme
that have inspired us,
traveled through time
from place to place
and made homes
in our hearts and minds.
This urge to create,
we’re fated to generate
and express our feelings,
our truth, our passion–
whatever the fashion,
the stories find their way
even when we go,
they stay–
a testament to what was,
or what could be,
a world that maybe
only the artist can see.
My daughter made this Web site about Abraham Hankins. It’s a work-in-progress
The staff at the print department at the Free Library in Philadelphia were so helpful and enthusiastic. What a pleasure to visit there! You can follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freelibrarypix/
We watched Springsteen on Broadway on Netflix. Trailer here.
Friends very kindly offered us their tickets for a Philly Pops concert when they couldn’t use them. It was a fun concert, though we cancelled our plans to go out afterward because of the weather.
I always feel the aliveness of art in its manifest forms Merril in your posts, thank you. The Chagall influence can be clearly seen in Abraham Hankin’s works.
Thank you so much, Susan!
Your post feels like genuine armchair anthropology, blending as you do art, history, and other insights. On Megan’s website I noticed there is a grandmother Fannie in your lineage. Interesting!
Thank you. I like to find connections. They may not be valid to anyone, but me. 🙂
Yes, I’m sure my grandmother was not born “Fannie,” but I don’t know what her name was.
“This urge to create…” – This sums it up, nicely.
Thank you very much, Ken!
A very special exhibition. The B/W portrait is enthralling. You do take it all in, Merril
Thank you so much, Derrick. That’s a lovely comment.
It wasn’t even an exhibition–just what the prints department had stored. My daughter had called ahead for an appointment, and they pulled out all the boxes and displayed some of his work on the tables.
So happy you were able to hear your daughter speak…I know you’re proud!
Thank you, Jill. Yes, always proud of both my girls!
I love the McCraney quote so much I’m stealing it for my collection of memorable quotes! Thank you so much for posting….
What a moment to be able to hear your daughter speak – who even cares what she said!! You helped her say it.
Aww–thank you! I was listening to the interview on the radio Saturday night, thinking I have to remember to look this up. 🙂
What a wonderful week. I must agree, there is definitely a “Chagall” look to some of those prints!
Have a great week, Merril.
Thank you very much, Dale!
What fun! I do see the influence of Chagall, but also Kandinsky and Klee. I’ve bookmarked the website and will explore further. Kudos to your daughter.
And yes, that quote is so wonderful and true.
You always make me smile, even when, indeed, the weather is making us Kind of Blue. (K)
Thank you for your lovely comment, Kerfe.
We’re trying to find out more about Hankins and his wife, too.
I was listening to the interview, and I thought I have to remember this remark.
I love how you thread storytelling through this poem. I will have to visit the website later. We saw Springsteen on Broadway too. I have a real soft spot for him. I’ve been a fan since the mid-70s when I saw him at an open air concert in Massachusetts. I know he’s only human but he’s my last idol (please, Bruce, no scandals!!!).
Thank you very much, Marie.
I like Bruce Springsteen, but I’ve never been to a concert or even followed him that much. But this theater production was wonderful. It must have been amazing to see in person, but it was also nice to lay back in my living room and just listen.
I’ve been fortunate to see him in concert twice. The second time was south of San Francisco. Greg bought tickets as a birthday surprise for me. We sat on the grass and shared our binoculars with a young girl and her mom. It was the best concert ever …
That sounds like such a wonderful concert and memory!
“The urge to create…” Human instinct? I’ll have to look for Springsteen on Netflix. He’s such a great storyteller (and singer-songwriter, but I’m obliged to say that, being from New Jersey and all). I love your bowls and the art and your musings. 🙂
Thank you very much, Robin.
I’ve never been to a Springsteen concert or even owned any of his albums, but this show was so good. It came out on Netflix in December. I think they filmed his final or one of his final performances.
You need to get bongo drums, and when you write prose like this, record it.
This piece is very, very beat!
Thank you very much for that lovely comment! I’ll have to think about the bongos. 😉
😀
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