A Dusty Little Town/Taos, New Mexico
Lost on a road to nowhere
I came to a dusty little town
Taos, New Mexico
Either you know about it
Or you don’t
Many people like to ski here
Some may say it is “jumpin:’
While others say, nothing happens
New Mexico is known as
The Land of Enchantment
It has a rich history
First the Native People
The Ancient Pueblos
And even earlier ruins
Then the Mexicans came
Bringing their sheep
Taos was a trading center
Loved by the Mountain Men
And men with visions of gold
An art community
The early painters came
The land and the native people
Provided new subject matter
Artists sent them paintings back east
People were thrilled
Then the railroads
Opened the west for tourists
The land, the mountains and the canyons
Go West Young Man, Go West!
April 14, 2019
http://poetryblogroll.blogspot.com
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My Downtown Studio
My studio used to be downtown
I drove the freeways each day
It was in an old warehouse
Originally used for meat packing
Those were the days…
A community of artists
Artist’s studios are usually
In the older part of town
The rents cheaper
Large spaces to work
High ceilings
Skylights in every studio
No windows to outside
No disruptions
The RR track was right behind
And the wharf-rats would come in
When the weather turned cold
The floors were concrete
And the sounds that came into the studio
Were trucks, cars and trains
I learned to paint the landscape of my mind
To count the beats of my heart
To live an interior life
I learned to focus
To go to the studio
Even when the work wasn’t going well
To be an artist is serious business
And takes discipline
11 comments:
Taos has a mystique to it. I am enchanted by the thought of the pueblos, the mountains, the desert plants and blooms. I know artists and creative folk are drawn there, as they are to where I live. They say they are power places, that the ley lines intersect in a way that acts like a magnet to artists.
You have really given a nice characterization of Taos.
You have captured the essence of Taos
Both of these pieces are wonderfully drawn and beautifully atmospheric. I felt a tinge of wistfulness in both. Time, does not stand still and evocative nuances often stir when we cast back to epoch-defining periods. Awesome writing!
Interesting poems of place. I especially enjoyed the studio one.
Interesting way of combining motion and stillness, history moving through cities and buildings.
Love! Love! You descriptions especially in the second of your old studio - the high ceilings, yes- I can feel the rhythm of the trains the smells and the heat, the cold. I have been to Taos in the mid 80’s...New Mexico is a beautiful state - a hidden treasure few talk about - perfect for a serious discipline and interior life....bkm
I've so wanted to go there for such a long time. Love how you took us through your city.
Lovely to have your very own studio now. I so admire your dedication to your art.
To close one's eyes and see New Mexico and paint it ... yes, Brooklyn isn't always pretty - and back in the day so much worse, I hear.
Wow you have really given a vivid portrayal of Taos!💞
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