Clown
he was shy
he found it difficult to speak
to people
he sensed their emotions
he felt their feelings
and there was so much
he wanted to say
in empathy
but
he found it difficult to speak
to people
he was shy
until he found his face
until whatever he felt
he could say
with just his face
and people loved him and
people were moved to tears
by him
                    -o-


Her canvas
she looked
at what she saw
and closed her eyes
and she was filled
with the unmistakable colours of beauty
the undeniable shapes of pain
and suffering
but the colours of beauty
a cloud of sadness descended on her
she wanted to lift the pain
but there was nothing
she could do
she opened her eyes
and she recorded
the shapes of pain
and suffering
she filled them
with the colours of beauty
and showed them
to the world
                    -o-


Soloist
indefinite shapes of music
start to appear all around him
they shift and slide
in syncopated rhythm
they engulf his world
and take him on a journey
of sound
from time to time
in a fountain of melody
he bursts to the foreground
friendly echoes may recognise
the theme and carry him
like a trophy
or angry dissonants
attack it and
run him out of town
until he finds his chance
his heart takes flight
it rallies all the sounds
collects all melodies
and soars to a dazzling climax
celebrates an all-new music
that no one has ever
heard before
                    -o-


Stage presence
big catwalk strides
her head held high
amongst the stars
her posture confidence
the gestures the words
the moods
rattling the cage
wanting to get out
but she holds the key
and slowly
deliberately she lets
the tension build
the sweet anticipation
then the floodgates open
the character explodes
onto the stage
and she
has all but disappeared
                    -o-


A core of beauty
a looming lump of mottled marble
its rugged surface
dirty and grey
he stood and stared
and in his mind saw beauty
his instinct urged him
to attack
to destroy
to possess
and he wielded his tools
in seemingly frenzied aggression
but slowly
a gentle form emerged
slowly
he revealed the subtle textures
slowly
he laid bare the silky smoothness
and slowly
he penetrated the core of beauty
of the stone
his instinct urged him
to love
to protect
to caress
and he touched the stone
and infused it with life
                    -o-


The form of joy
she tensed all her muscles of joy
and her body was formed with beauty
she tensed all her muscles of pain
and her body was crooked and bent
she tensed all her muscles of sadness
and her body lost its shape
and collapsed to the ground
and she sighed
and looked up
and she tensed all her muscles of joy
                    -o-


To hear the music
in a cave
deep under ground
where no light or sound
can reach
he closed his eyes and listened
to his music
it was perfect
with little shards of pain
gently nursed
by clarity and happiness
it was perfect
he listened to each instrument
and felt their empathy
he felt their understanding
and he was completely happy
at his desk
where sound was but a nuisance
he sat and wrote his music
music that no one knew
and he wrote to all the instruments
so they could hear
his music
and he waited
he waited
he took his place
amongst the audience
the random sound of instruments
the tense anticipation
and then the silence
the holding of breath
and suddenly
his music sounded
loud and clear
for everyone to hear
and he was perfectly happy
                    -o-
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