19 Comments
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Writer Pilgrim by So Elite's avatar

Beautifully written though very painful. The painting started a story in your poem that wasn't expected but then again, what's kept behind our backs is not always known, is it?

man of aran's avatar

Thanks, Pilgrim. Good insight. I’m glad the pairing worked for you.

Jette Hansen's avatar

❤️‍🩹

man of aran's avatar

Thank you, Jette.

Richbee's avatar

Feeling hand cuffed with pain,

But freedom regained with high marks cross hatched on backside

And led to a cell to change.

Patris's avatar

Prisoner

man of aran's avatar

Hand-cuffed is what I thought, too. There’s a poignancy in the painting.

Patris's avatar

The poignancy of your words shames and reminds us of growing up, speechless witnesses.

man of aran's avatar

Yes. There’s so much I wish I had a voice for in those days. Thanks, Patris.

Weston Parker's avatar

Real powerful Alan, that "too much for you to bear", that one stings.

man of aran's avatar

Thanks, Wes. Always appreciate your reading.

C.J. Heck's avatar

How awful to do that to another person. Nice writing, Man of Aran.

man of aran's avatar

Thank you, CJ. Awful, indeed.

Margaret Ann Silver's avatar

So beautiful and so sad. Thank you for sharing this.

man of aran's avatar

Thank you, Margaret.

The Sea in Me's avatar

So delicately handled, packs a punch, the cuffs definitely in the painting, and the words. Ufff.

man of aran's avatar

Thanks so much for reading, Sea in Me!

Greg Krouse's avatar

I was impressed with the pairing and also the poem. I don’t know if this is your theme but I think it’s really cool to pick an interesting picture and write something about it. It’s sort of like picking an interesting musical theme and writing something or having an idea and making it into music.

I had a, funny opportunity in my studio with my synthesizer which has combinations that have names, and this one was called trash babies. The name and the energy of the combination provoke me to write a song of that name about how many citizens treat people on the street, especially impacting children that are stuck out there. It’s interesting what provokes an idea. Thanks again for your interesting work.

man of aran's avatar

Thanks, Greg! Yes, pairing with or writing to a piece of art is more or less my theme, or niche. Sometimes music inspires me, too, my own photography as well. Like you, it seems, I tend gravitate to human suffering or pain. Try to keep the keel even, though! Appreciate the subscription! See you around.