Thought for the Day

. . . real love. . . changes outcomes

 and creates whole new people. . . .

~ Cynthia Bourgeault

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Quoted from Cynthia Bourgeault, Richard Rohr's Daily Meditation, "Anointing and Anointed" at Center for Action and Contemplation, April 11, 2019

Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault, Episcopal Priest, Write, Internationally Known Retreat Leader

New Artist Watch Feature at Escape Into Life

Jordan Nassar, The Future With Longing, 2018

Hand-embroidered Cotton on Cotton

22" x 22"

© Jordan Nassar

PLEASE DO NOT COPY IMAGE

This month's Artist Watch at Escape Into Life showcases the exquisite abstract embroidery of textile artist Jordan Nassar.

A Palestinian-American born in New York City, where he currently resides, Jordan uses his meticulous hand-stitching to address such subjects as identity, cultural heritage, symbology, codes and language systems, and superstition and religious beliefs. The geometric patterning he uses and carefully maps out is adapted from Islamic symbols present in Palestinian hand embroidery.

Today's Artist Watch column features six images of Jordan's work, his Artist Statement, and a brief biography, as well as a link to his Instagram page.

Thought for the Day

It is terrible to survive

as consciousness

buried in the dark earth.

~ Louise Gluck

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Quoted from Louise Gluck, "The Wild Iris" in The Wild Iris (The Ecco Press, 1992), page 1

Louise Gluck, Award-Winning American Poet; Former Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress

Louise Gluck Profiles at Academy of American Poets, Poetry Foundation, and Steven Barclay Agency

Thought for the Day

There is no country

left for the weaponless.

~ Carolyne Wright

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Quoted from Carolyne Wright, "Flowers in Winter (XII)"  in This Dream The World: New and Selected Poems (Lost Horse Press, 2017), page 140

Carolyne Wright, American Poet

Thought for the Day

There is always something to be made of pain.

~ Louise Gluck

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Quoted from Louise Gluck, "Love Poem"in The House on Marshland (1975) in The First Four Books of Poems (Ecco Press, 1995), page 90

Louise Gluck, American Poet; Poet Laureate to the Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress (2003)

Thought for the Day

Water is the shine moving, death does not flow.

~ Linda Gregg

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Quoted from Linda Gregg, "The Heart Flowing Out" in All of It Singing: New and Selected Poems (Graywolf Press, 2008), page 127

Linda Gregg (September 9, 1942 - March 20, 2019), American Poet

Linda Gregg Profiles at Academy of American Poets, Graywolf Press, Literary Hub, The New Yorker, Poetry Foundation, Smith College Poetry Center

New Artist Watch Feature at Escape Into Life

Martha Ensign Johnson, What are we stripping away?, 2019

Zinc Etching, 12.5" x 12.5"

© Martha Ensign Johnson

PLEASE DO NOT COPY IMAGE

I am so pleased to showcase in April's Artist Watch at Escape Into Life the marvelous work of printmaker Martha Ensign Johnson. The images are part of Martha's ongoing series Erasure, which speaks profoundly to the effects of environmental destruction.

A resident of Black Mountain, North Carolina, Martha is highly skilled in printmaking techniques, including etching, spit bite aquatint, relief printing (woodcuts), and chine colle. The recipient of many honors and awards, Martha has exhibited widely across the United States and abroad.

Today, my Artist Watch column includes seven images from the Erasure series, Martha's Artist Statement about the series, and biographical information. In addition, you'll find Martha's social media and links to current and upcoming exhibitions.

Thought for the Day

[. . .] Everything broken must be broken again. [. . .]

~ Benjamin Myers

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Quoted from "The Reverend on Natural Theology" in Black Sunday: Poems (Lamar University Literary Press, 2019)

Benjamin Myers, Poet and Writer; Former Poet Laureate of Oklahoma, 2015-2016; Crouch-Mathis Professor of Literature, Oklahoma Baptist University

Thought for the Day

[. . .] Perhaps grief is how we exhaust / our reach for things

that have gone, / and acceptance is how we slowly / learn

to hold ourselves in / the middle of the storm.

~ Mark Nepo

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Quoted from "Though Loss Is Everywhere" in The Way Under the Way: The Place of True Meaning: Three Books of Poems (SoundsTrue, 2016), page 107

Mark Nepo, Poet, Teacher, Storyteller

Thought for the Day

The deaf don't believe in silence.

Silence is the invention of the hearing.

~ Ilya Kaminsky

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Quoted from Notes to "Deaf Republic: A poet writes deafness as a form of dissent against tyranny and violence," Multimedia Poetry Presentation, The New Yorker, February 11, 2019

Ilya Kaminsky, Poet, Critic, Translator, Professor (Kaminsky's most recent book is Deaf Republic (Graywolf Press, 2019).)

Ilya Kaminsky Profiles at Academy of American Poets and Poetry Foundation 

Read Garth Greenwell, "Still Dancing: An Interview with Ilya Kaminsky", Poets & Writers, March/April 2019.