True to My Nature
“Musicians must make music, artists must paint, poets must write if they are to be ultimately at peace with themselves. What humans can be, they must be. They must be true to their own nature.” — Abraham Maslow
A R T
I pull the cardboard box off the shelf
too long dusty
set it on the cleared table
trace my finger over the markered three letters
and open
creation in a box
I remove the items one by one
too long neglected
set them in their proper place
next to water, canvas, towel
and tally
creation in a box
I see pencils, paints, stencils,
too long idle
set by projects incomplete
search for a paint brush
and initiate
creation in a box
I wet the brush and moisten paints
too long dried out
set colors to a scantily clad canvas
bringing life to the scene
and treasure
creation in a box
Though I like to dabble in art, and do crafts with my son, I don’t consider myself much of an artist. That’s Lin‘s territory. I’m more comfortable with the written word. Over the years, I’ve learned that even when I am not writing, I still need to be creating to feel alive. Whether a poem, a story, a craft project, a dessert, or even a house in Sims 3. As Maslow says, I must be true to my nature. I must create.
We are all creators… not just of art, but relationships, homes, personal space, etc. What do you create? Why do you create?
RoadWriter 
Mary, thoroughly enjoyed the poem and agree with the sentiment. I love art supplies and always had plenty around when my kids were little — and I enjoyed the stuff at least as much as they did. My mother was an artists, specialized in portraits in oils. She told me she thought I had talent, but I was turned off because, I think, I didn’t want to compete with her.
However, lately, inspired by a workshop at the Mass Poetry festival, I started playing with online tools like MS Paint and Gimp, mostly playing with photographs. I find the whole thing surpriingly engrossing.
Thanks for the plug, Mary! I think each of us are artists in our own way. It’s giving ourselves permission to dabble that’s the hardest part. What if I fail or make a mess? Wasting time playing? Our Inner Critic has to be kicked to the curb when that logic takes hold.
By the way, love your creativity box- a nice size to take on vacation.
As to Mary’s box: Lin, your comment reminded me that when our kids were little, we always had a bag of stuff for the kids (markers, playdoh, a game or two, paper, etc) to amuse them with. All the kids were wonderfully amused by art supplies, thank goodness.
Apart from the joy and release of playing with a medium that is not our usual one, I think there is so much to be learned from this kind of cross-fertilisation. From writing – and reading books about writing – I learn new ways to approach my art-making.