A tribute long overdue to an old acquaintance, the artist, Jack Lewis. With customary artistic license taken.
paced in a gate of long quick steps
head down in stance of determination
Panama hat to shade sultry July sun
broad of chest with knotted arms swinging
sweat stained blue denim shirt trousers hung with suspender's trust
brogans covered with powdery sand dust
trudging the length of Cocked Hat Road
Sussex summer and hired hands must go
where farmer's land offers them a wage
'37 and the New Deal didn't stop here
arts his passion hard labor his fashion
early morning light, setting sun time
scrub away the day's grit and ration
home cooked bread from a skillet and stew
handed out by a farm lady of compassion
canvas salvaged from discarded table cloth
single hog hair brush, water colors his lust gratefully he would go to the CCC job
Virginia's Skyline Drive, Shenandoah Valley
F.D.R.'s Eleanor would his art see and adore
commissioning him to please her with more his renderings would hang far and wide
labors of toil and manual he now forsook
teaching and lavishing water colors on linen
walls and storefronts books and paper too
the Cocked Hat Road days he recalled
when determination was his and kindness
befell him from venues diverse, unexpected colorful memories parading in an artistic mind
Jon, Jack Lewis literally lives in this beautifully conceived
and lovingly executed tribute. The writing is marvelous, line
for line. Hence, I suggest that the last line, "colorful
memories parading in an artisitic mind," apply equally to Jack
Lewis and Jon Willey. -gene.
Jon,
Not a pause - comma break - till the 13th line and after that only three others, but it's not about pauses, it's about fluency of expression and more importantly, fluency and depth of feeling; here's someone you care for, admire, Jack Lewis, the man and artist, doer, worker, creator. Love the use of place names heightening the solidity of the artist, grounding, placing him in a life and location perspective.
Fine, fine work...no surprise coming from you.
and in the beauty of this... "Of Jack and Art"
I can nearly see his strokes of love upon his canvas
patterns of colors of passions & blends of emotions
a wonderfully crafted tribute to Jack Lewis...
Peace, Love & Inspirations
Vickie
Reviewed by neerja gandhi (Reader)
Reviewed on November 14, 2009
a wonderful tribute Jon...filled with wonderful words.... Best wishes ..neerja
John, I don't think I've read a better tribute with such smooth flow of articulate words so full of admiration! Thank you for sharing!
So glad to see yoy back,your masterful pen was missed! love, Eileen
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and lovingly executed tribute. The writing is marvelous, line
for line. Hence, I suggest that the last line, "colorful
memories parading in an artisitic mind," apply equally to Jack
Lewis and Jon Willey. -gene.
Sheila
love and blessings,Christine
"single hog hair brush, and water colors is lust"...
color me blissfully bedazzled,
carolyn
Ron
What an interesting piece of history and a fine man.
Mary
Regis
peace and love, Carole~
Not a pause - comma break - till the 13th line and after that only three others, but it's not about pauses, it's about fluency of expression and more importantly, fluency and depth of feeling; here's someone you care for, admire, Jack Lewis, the man and artist, doer, worker, creator. Love the use of place names heightening the solidity of the artist, grounding, placing him in a life and location perspective.
Fine, fine work...no surprise coming from you.
John
I can nearly see his strokes of love upon his canvas
patterns of colors of passions & blends of emotions
a wonderfully crafted tribute to Jack Lewis...
Peace, Love & Inspirations
Vickie
So glad to see yoy back,your masterful pen was missed! love, Eileen
God bless you. Kathy
fee