GREAT ARTISTS & THEIR IMMORTAL WORKS :
CONCLUDING ITALIAN RENAISSANCE IN
VERSE.  -  By Raj Nandy, New Delhi.

Dear Readers, continuing my Story of Western Art in Verse chronologically, I had covered an Introduction to the Italian Renaissance previously. That background story was necessary to appreciate Renaissance Art fully. Now, I cover the Art of that period in a summarized form, mentioning mainly the salient features to curb the length. The cream here lies in the 'Art of the High Renaissance Period'! Hope you like it. Thanks, - Raj.

                          INTRODUCTION
“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, &
  Poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”
                                                        – Leonardo Da Vinci
In the domain of Renaissance Art, we notice the
enduring influence of the Classical touch!
Ancient Greek statues and Roman architectures,
Inspired the Renaissance artists in their innovative
ventures!
The pervasive spirit of Humanism influenced
creation of life-like human forms;
Adding ****** expressions and depth, deviating
from the earlier stiff Medieval norms.
While religious subjects continued to get depicted
in three-dimensional Renaissance Art;
Portraits, **** figures, and secular subjects, also
began to appear during this great ‘Re-birth’!
The artists of the Early and High Renaissance Era
are many who deserve our adoration and artistic
due.
Yet for the sake of brevity, I mention only the
Great Masters, who are handful and few.

EARLY RENAISSANCE ARTISTS & THEIR ART

GITTO THE PIONEER:
During early 13th Century we find, Dante’s
contemporary Gitto di Bondone the Florentine,
Painting human figures in all its beauty and form
for the first time!
His masterwork being the 40 fresco cycle in the
Arena Chapel in Padua, depicting the life of the
****** and Christ, completed in 1305.
Giotto made the symbolic Medieval spiritual art
appear more natural and realistic,
By depicting human emotion, depth with an
artistic perspective!
Art Scholars consider him to be the trailblazer
inspiring the later painters of the Renaissance;
They also refer to Giorgio Vasari’s “Lives Of
The Eminent Artists,” - as their main source.
Giotto had dared to break the shackles of earlier
Medieval two-dimensional art style,
By drawing lines which head towards a certain
focal point behind;
Like an illusionary vanishing point in space,
- opening up a 3-D ‘window into space’!
This ‘window technique’ got adopted by the
later artists with grace.
(Giorgio Vasari, a 16th Century painter, architect & Art
historian, was born in 1511 in Arezzy, a city under the
Florentine Republic, and painted during the High
Renaissance Period.)

VASARI’s book published in 1550 in Florence
was dedicated to Cosimo de Medici.
Forms an important document of Italian Art
History.
This valuable book covers a 250 year’s span.
Commencing with Cimabue the tutor of Giotto,
right up to Tizian, - better known as Titan!
Vasari also mentions four lesser known Female
Renaissance Artists; Sister Plantilla, Madonna
Lucrezia, Sofonista Anguissola, and Properzia
de Rossi;
And Rossi’s painting “Joseph and Potiphar’s
Wife”,
An impressive panel art which parallels the
unrequited love Rossi experienced in her own
life !
(Joseph the elder son of Jacob, taken captive by Potiphar
the Captain of Pharaoh’s guard, was desired by Potiphar’s
wife, whose advances Joseph repulsed. Rossi’s painting
of 1520s inspired later artists to paint their own versions
of this same Old Testament Story.)

Next I briefly mention architects Brunelleschi
and Ghiberti, and the sculptor Donatello;
Not forgetting the painters like Masaccio,
Verrocchio and Botticelli;
Those Early Renaissance Artists are known to
us today thanks to the Art historian Giorgio
Vasari .

BRUNELLESCHI has been mentioned in Section
One of my Renaissance Story.
His 114 meter high dome of Florence Cathedral
created artistic history!
This dome was constructed without supporting
buttresses with a double egg shaped structure;
Stands out as an unique feat of Florentine
Architecture!
The dome is larger than St Paul’s in London,
the Capitol Building of Washington DC, and
also the St Peters in the Vatican City!

GILBERTI is remembered for his massive
15 feet high gilded bronze doors for the
Baptistery of Florence,
Containing twenty carved panels with themes
from the Old Testament.
Which took a quarter century to complete,
working at his own convenience.
His exquisite naturalistic carved figures in the
true spirit of the Renaissance won him a prize;
And his gilded doors were renamed by Michel
Angelo as ‘The Gates of Paradise’!
(At the age of 23 yrs Lorenzo Ghiberti had won the
competition beating other Architects for craving the
doors of the Baptistery of Florence!)

DONATELLO’S full size bronze David was
commissioned by its patron Cosimo de’ Medici.
With its sensual contrapposto stance in the
classical Greek style with its torso bent slightly.
Is known as the first free standing **** statue
since the days of Classical Art history!
The Old Testament relates the story of David
the shepherd boy, who killed the giant Goliath
with a single sling shot;
Cutting off his head with Goliath’s own sword!
Thus saving the Israelites from Philistine’s wrath.
This unique statue inspired all later sculptors to
strive for similar artistic excellence;
Culminating in Michael Angelo’s **** statue of
David, known for its sculptured brilliance!

MASSACCIO (1401- 1428) joined Florentine
Artist’s Guild at the age of 21 years.
A talented artist who abandoned the old Gothic
Style, experimenting without fears!
Influenced by Giotto, he mastered the use of
perspective in art.
Introduced the vanishing point and the horizon
line, - while planning his artistic works.
In his paintings ‘The Expulsion from Eden’
and ‘The Temptation’,
He introduced the initial **** figures in Italian
Art without any inhibition!
Though up North in Flanders, Van Eyck the
painter had already made an artistic innovation,
By painting ‘Adam and Eve’ displaying their
****** in his artistic creation;
Thereby creating the first **** painting in Art
History!
But such figures greatly annoyed the Church,
Since nudes formed a part of pagan art!
So these Northern artists to pacify the Church
and pass its censorship,
Cleverly under a fig leaf cover made their art to
appear moralistic!
Van Eyck was also the innovator of oil-based paints,
Which later replaced the Medieval tempera, used to
paint angles and saints.

Masaccio’s fresco ‘The Tribute Money’ requires
here a special mention,
For his use of perspective with light and shade,
Where the blithe figure of the Roman tax collector
is artistically made.
Christ is painted with stern nobility, Peter in angry
majesty;
And every Apostle with individualized features,
attire, and pose;
With light coming from a single identifiable source!
“Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,
and unto God things that are God’s”, said Christ;
Narrated in Mathew chapter 22 verse 21, which
cannot be denied.
Unfortunately, Masaccio died at an early age of
27 years.
Said to have been killed by a jealous rival artist,
who had shed no tears!

BOTTICELLI the Florentine was born half a
century after the Dutch Van Eyck;
Remembered even to this day for his painting
the ‘Birth of Venus’, an icon of Art History
making him famous.
This painting depicts goddess Venus rising out
of the sea on a conch shell,
And the glorious path of female **** painting
commenced in Italy, - casting a spell!
His full scale **** Venus shattered the Medieval
taboo on ******.
With a subject shift from religious art to Classical
Mythology;
Removing the ‘fig-leaf cover’ over Art permanently!

I end this Early Period with VERROCCHIO, born
in Florence in fourteen hundred and thirty five.
A trained goldsmith proficient in the skills of both
painting and sculpture;
Who under the patronage of the Medici family
had thrived.
He had set up his workshop in Florence were he
trained Leonardo Da Vinci, Botticelli, and other
famous Renaissance artists alike!

FOUR CANONICAL PAINTING MODES OF
THE RENAISSANCE:
During the Renaissance the four canonical painting
modes we get to see;
Are Chiaroscuro, Sfumato, Cangiante and Unione.
‘Chiaroscuro’ comes from an Italian word meaning
‘light and dark’, a painting technique of Leonardo,
Creating a three dimensional dramatic effect to
steal the show.
Later also used with great excellence by Rubens
and the Dutch Rembrandt as we know.
‘Sfumato’ from Italian ‘sfumare’, meaning to tone
down or evaporate like a smoke;
As seen in Leonardo’s ‘Mona Lisa’ where the
colors blend seamlessly like smoke!
‘Cangiante’ means to ‘change’, where a painter
changed to a lighter or a darker hue, when the
original hue could not be made light enough;
As seen in the transformation from green to
yellow in Prophet Daniel’s robe,
On the ceiling of Sistine Chapel in Rome.
‘Unione’ followed the ‘sfumato’ quality, but
maintained vibrant colors as we get to see;
In Raphael’s ‘Alba Madonna’ in Washington’s
National Gallery.

ART OF HIGH RENAISSANCE ERA - THE
GOLDEN AGE.

“Where the spirit does not work with the
hand there is no art.”- Leonardo

With Giotto during the Trecento period of the
14th century,
Painting dominated sculpture in the artistic
endeavor of Italy.
During the 15th century the Quattrocento, with
Donetello and Giberti,
Sculpture certainly dominated painting as we get to
see!
But during the 16th century or the Cinquecento,
Painting again took the lead commencing with
the great Leonardo!
This Era was cut short by the death of Lorenzo the
Magnificent to less than half a century; (Died in 1493)
But gifted great masterpieces to the world enriching
the world of Art tremendously!
The Medieval ‘halo’ was now replaced by a fresh
naturalness;
And both Madonna and Christ acquired a more
human likeness!
Portrait paintings began to be commissioned by
many rich patrons.
While artists acquired both recognition and a status
of their own.
But the artistic focus during this Era had shifted from
Florence,  - to Venice and Rome!
In the Vatican City, Pope Julius-II was followed by
Pope Leo the Tenth,
He commissioned many works of art which are
still cherished and maintained!
Now cutting short my story let me mention the
famous Italian Renaissance Superstar Trio;
Leonardo, Raphael, and Michael Angelo.

LEONARDO DA VINCI was born in 1452 in
the village of Vinci near the City of Florence,
Was deprived of a formal education being born
illegitimate!
He was left-handed, and wrote from right to left!
He soon excelled his teacher Varrocchio, by
introduced oil based paints into Italy;
Whose translucent colors with his innovative
techniques, enhanced his painting artistically.
Sigmund Freud had said, “Leonardo was like a
man who awoke too early in the darkness while
others were all still asleep,” - he was awake!
Leonardo’s  historic ‘Note Book’ has sketches of a
battle tank, a flying machine, a parachute, and many
other anatomical and technical sketches and designs;
Reflecting the ever probing mind of this versatile
genius who was far ahead of his time!
His ‘Vituvian Man’, ‘The Last Supper’, and ‘Mona Lisa’,
Remain as his enduring works of art and more popular
than the Leaning Tower of Pisa!
Pen and ink sketch of the ‘Vitruvian Man’ with arms
and leg apart inside a square and a circle, also known
as the ‘Proportion of Man’;
Where his height correspondence to the length
of his outstretched hands;
Became symbolic of the true Renaissance spirit
of Man.
‘The Last Supper’ a 15ft by 29ft fresco work on
the refectory wall of Santa Maria, commissioned
by Duke of Milan Ludovic,
Is the most reproduced religious painting which
took three years to complete!
Leonardo searched the streets of Milan before
painting Judas’ face;
And individualized each figure with competence!
‘Mona Lisa’ with her enigmatic smile continues
to inspire artists, poets, and her viewers alike,
since its creation;
Which Leonardo took four years to complete
with utmost devotion.
Leonardo used oil on poplar wood panel, unique
during those days,
With ‘sfumato’ blending of translucent colors with
light and shade;
Creating depth, volume, and form, with a timeless
expression on Mona Lisa’s countenance!
Art Historian George Varasi says that it is the face
of one Lisa Gherardini,
Wife of a wealthy Florentine merchant of Italy.
Insurance Companies failed to make any estimation
of this portrait, declaring its value as priceless!
Today it remains housed inside an air-conditioned,
de-humidified chamber, within a triple bullet-proof
glass, in Louvre France.
“It is the ultimate symbol of human civilization”,
- exclaimed President Kennedy;
And with this I pay my humble tribute to our
Leonardo da Vinci!

MICHEL ANGELO BUONARROTI (1475-1564):
This Tuscan born sculptor, painter, architect, and
poet, was a versatile man,
Worthy to be called the archetype of the true
‘Renaissance Man’!
At the age of twelve was placed under the famous
painter Ghirlandio,
Where his inclination for sculpting began to show.
Under the liberal patronage of Lorenzo de Medici,
He developed his talent as a sculptor as we get
to see.
In the Medici Palace, he was struck by his rival
Torregiano on the nose with a mallet;
Disfiguring permanently his handsome face!
His statue of ‘Bacchus’ of 1497 and the very
beauty of the figure,
Earned him the commission for the ‘PIETA’ in
St Peter’s Basilica;
Where from a single piece of Carrara marble he
carved out the figure of ****** Mary grieving
over the dead body of Christ;
This iconic piece of sculpture which along with
his ‘David’ earned him the ‘Superstar rights’!

Michel Angelo’s **** ‘DAVID’ weighed 6.4 tons
and stood 17 feet in height;
Unlike the bronze David of Donatello, which
shows him victorious after the fight!
Michel’s David an epitome of strength and
youthful vigour with a Classical Greek touch;
Displayed an uncircumcised ***** which had
shocked the viewers very much!
But it was consistent with the Mannerism in Art,
in keeping with the Renaissance spirit as such!
David displays an attitude of placid calm with
his knitted eyebrows and sidelong glance;
With his left hand over the left shoulder
holding a sling,
Coolly surveys the giant Goliath before his
single sling shot fatally stings!
This iconic sculpture has a timeless appeal even
after 500 years, depicting the ‘Renaissance Man’
at his best;
Vigorous, healthy, beautiful, rational and fully
competent!
Finally we come to the Ceiling of the Sistine
Chapel of Rome,
Where Pope Julius-II’s persistence resulted in the
creation of world’s greatest single fresco that was
ever known!
Covering some 5000 square feet, took five years
to complete.
Special scaffoldings had to be erected for painting
scenes from ‘The Creation’ till the ‘Day of Judgment’
on a 20 meter’s high ceiling;
Where the Central portion had nine scenes from
the ‘Book of Genesis’,
With ‘Creation of Adam’ having an iconic significance!
Like Leonardo, Michel Angelo was left-handed and died
a bachelor - pursuing his art with devotion;
A man with caustic wit, proud reserve, and sublimity
of imagination!

RAFFAELLO SANZIO (1483-1520):
This last of the famous High Renaissance trio was
born in 1483 in Urbino,
Some eight years after Michel Angelo.
His Madonna series and decorative frescos
glorified the Library of Pope Julius the Second;
Who was impressed by his fresco ‘The School
of Athens’;
And commissioned Raphael to decorate his
Study in the Vatican.
Raphael painted this large fresco between 1510
and 1511, initially named as the ‘Knowledge of
Causes’,
But the 17th century guide books referred to it
as ‘The School of Athens’.
Here Plato and Aristotle are the central figures
surrounded by a host of ancient Greek scholars
and philosophers.
The bare footed Plato is seen pointing skywards,
In his left hand holds his book ‘Timaeus’;
His upward hand gesture indicating his ‘World
of Forms’ and transcendental ideas!
Aristotle is seen pointing downwards, his left
hand holds his famous book the ‘Ethics’;
His blue dress symbolizes water and earth
with an earthly fix.
The painting illustrates the historic continuance
of Platonic thoughts,
In keeping with the spirit of the Renaissance!
Raphael’s last masterpiece ‘Transfiguration’
depicts the resurrected Christ,
Flanked by prophets

Neither one of them knew when the rivalry began. It was certainly in their infancy.
Rachel Huntington was twenty  a star scholar at Oxford university.
Matthew fotheringham was the same age also a star scholar  
They excelled in the study of English literature having read all of the aincent and modern classics in high school.
It was known that saint Hilda's college at Oxford regarded Rachel as  the most  gifted student they had seen for years.
In his group the same was said for Matthew.
They shared the same advanced literature class and the tension between then was palatable.
She would put forward a proposition on Shakespeare repeated usage of
Iambic pentameter.
And Matthew would destroy her concept with a detailed analysis of his works
Have you been  cribbing with Cole's notes he would add in disdain.
Rebecca hated him calling him insufferably conceited and a total buffoon.
He once went to her dorm to pick up an ancient script she had borrowed from the library the only copy.
He phoned from the hall shall I come up to your room
And pick it up.
Rachel shouted No!
I will bring it down to you.
You are never to come up to my dorm.
It's not that I wouldn't allow a man up here
But if anyone were to see you leaving and got the wrong idea.
I don't want them to think I have no taste and low standards in boyfriends.
And that's how it went on.

Then the literature guilds competition had been announced
Schoolers from all over Europe were to present their essays of no less than 25 thousand words and the winner would receive 25 thousand guineas but more importantly that opened the door to the chairs of literature all through the continent.

The rivalry escalation was at fever pitch.
Matthew worked  75. Hour weeks on his essay
Rachelle kept up with him never wasting a single moment.
The class bookmaker has had narrow odds on the winner it one of these two.

They went to the presentation hall and entered the book sized essays sealed in manilla envelopes
Rachel quipped you don't have a chance you couldn't copy mine.
Matthew said I hope they don't use the new plagiarism software you have probably stole yours from the internet.
I already have made plans for my winnings he bragged.
What a good plated pocket protector and  a girl friend you just add air too.
Matthew was hurt
Particularly at the insult that he had a blow up plastic girlfriend.
He remembered humor was the best defence it showed they could not hurt you.
I only bought her for driving on the diamond lanes on the highway.
Anyhoo nothing happened between us until that last night of term
When we drank too much wine.
Rachel walked off in disgust
As he yelled so all could here
She's better in bed than you will ever be .

It was two weeks to the announcement of the contest winners.
No use worrying about it Matthew said
He went for a long evening stroll by the river.
As he turned on the river bend he saw Rachel
She was crying say beneath a huge willow tree.

For once he did not have a smart quip or an insult.
He walked to her and sat down next to her.
Why are you weeping Rachel he asked gently.
She had never ever heard his voice so soft.
My father died last night. She sobbed.
It occurred to Matthew he knew nothing of her life.
I am so sorry what happened
He was the clergyman at Saint Monica's Anglican Church
He had cancer and never let me know.
It had taken all his savings to get me through Oxford.
And he did not want me to lose focus.
Then she wept freely
Mathew held her close to him she wept on his his shoulder
His fingers gentle touched her reddish suborn hair.
It was soft she smelt of lavender soap it was nice.
I ...I have to go to Stowe  on the wold tomorrow for the funeral.
I shall take you there
Do you have a car she asked.
Yes I have a twenty year old MG convertible. My dad bought me when I got into Oxford.
It was arranged he picked her up and off to the funeral they went .
He never felt as comfortable or comforting in all his life.
He was seeing her in a new light after all the stupid years.
They arrived at the old vicarage
Mrs Evans the housekeeper hugged them both
It's about time you got your pretty nose out of those old dusty books
And got yourself a boyfriend.
The weird part was neither one of them corrected Mrs Evans.

The funeral took place
And they set back along the old country roads to the university.
They talked about literature art posts and writers.
Then the old engine conked out.
Miles from anywhere
You need to go get petrol she said.
But there's no station between her and Oxford
The phone signal was not reaching them.
We have to sleep in the car for the night.
Rachel said as long as you don't get any ideas.
You are not my type.
He was going to tell her she was his type but said nothing.
It was freezing in the night Rachel was shivering
He took off his coat and jacket and put them over her in the back seat
As he shivered frozen in the front seat.
In the early morning they woke up
She stepped out of the car and stretched
Matthew was on one knee in front of her
What are doing she asked?
What does it look like I am doing ?
I am proposing that you become my wife.
Never! never! never !
After all the insults you have laid upon me.
Well I'm I'm sorry
Not good enough she shouted.

Do you have the guts to make a get with me Matthew asked.?
Her reddish hair answered the challenge
Just try me.
OK if I  win the award you will become my wife.he said.
If I  win you get lost and marry the blow up lady.she countered.
Well the challenge was a tough one
If she did not accept it it was saying he was smarter than her and she knew it.
If she accepted it was the opposite.
OK you have a deal.

A week later Matthew was working in the library
The prize winners are being posted on the notice board.
He felt a gasp in his chest
As he reached the crowd of students he saw Rachel
She even had a trace of make-up on she was now
Getting to look beautiful to him.
Good luck rachel he whispered I hope you win.
She knew he meant it but she remembered the wager.
She said softly I hope it's you that wins Mathew.
A young woman rushed out of the crowd
Rachelle you won you won.
Mathews heart sank
Congratulations Rachel I am so happy for you.
She felt a tear selling in her eye
Mathew where are you going
You told me to go And marry my send away lady that you just add air too
If I lost the bet you won Rachel.
And her heart sank in her chest.
Then the young woman saw him
Matthew congratulations you won.
She showed him a copy of the winners notice.
It had a note
In all the years of the competition we have never had two such magnificent essays
The adjudicator's were unable to mark one better than the other
We have shared the prize to two winners for the very first time.
Rachel held Mathew code and kissed him fully and hard. Not caring who was watching. He kissed her back
The crowd were astonished their tied was legendary at Oxford.


Two years later.
Matthew strolled in the park with the twins and his beloved wife Rachel.
She had married him a week after the award ceremony at Oxford.
It was said in the coffee room that the university had never had two professors as much in love as them they were now teaching in the English department and we're already in competition for their tenure.
But they never spent a moment appart.

He picked up the twins and shouted his love for Rachel on the top of his voice.
The evening breeze picks up the perfume of the fallen leaves.
Rachel smiled at him and whispered softly I love you too dearest.
She felt him slip into that private room in her heart that she always saved for her soulmate
As he entered the room holding their two babies.
She locked the door behind him with the only key that existed.
And then she threw  it into the dense woodlands of Oxfordshire
Never to found again.

All it takes is half an hour, once the button's pressed
For a missile from Siberia, to land on the US
-
20 Mega Tons Death, 20 Mega Tons of Doom
Coming to the USA...you won't need a tomb
-
And this is only one! There fly many many more
And from submarines, stationed off our shore
-
Then Yellowstone will blow, San Andres too
Don't forget 'bout New Madrid...bid this world adieu
-
Read the Book of Mathew, chapter 24
This is on its way, blood and guts and gore

Do you know what's coming? Blow you to the void!
Oh my goodness oh my gosh, a great big Asteroid!
-
Not just one but fifty, five hundred even more
One will land right on your ***, Asteroids galore!
-
Go read the Book of Mathew, chapter twenty-four
You will have a heart attack! And fall down upon the floor
-
But not to worry not to fret only, only half the world blows up
The other half just dies, when they see the Asteroids real close up

In the gardens of a Gethsemane
under the branches of a
sick sycamore tree
slept the man they called
a prodigy.

A few of the many who followed him
knocked at the outskirts of freedom
to enter in.

The morning woke crossly for everyone
and the prodigal son was
on his way home with parables to plant
in the arable land which grow better than
Talents they tell me
in the garden of my own Gethsemane

His green eyes gleam and reflect the light,
Like the moon shines down on a chill autumn's night
I watch his face as he dreams his dreams
And wonder what he's seeing, if he sees me
He leaves me in awe and then goes away,
Sometimes to a dark place that I am not welcome to stay
Keep me in the cracks of your ever escaping mind, just as you to I
And let our memories seep out like rain from sky
Smiles so sweet and visions so true
Who knew this masterpiece was so askew
Like a painting that changes and morphs over time
Only the colors get brighter and more vivid are the lines
He's a creation in the making
Got me shaking so much
Just from drowning in the Ocean eyes of a masterpiece
So real you can touch

Ever feel like when you finnaly get smething right
you ***** up ten other things hurt 15 other people
and get so confused you lose sight of what you did right
and you feel alone in the world. You feel discontinued,
held back, and hurt.
You just want everything to go back to the way it was
but it never does.
The world is always changing
no matter if you want it to or not.
It seems when one person gets happy
other people get hurt and get neglected from there happiness.
You just want to make others happy
but you never take the time to get yourself happy
then you suffer in silence
till it just swallows you whole
and you just let it out and
people tell you to **** it up because they think they been through a whole lot more.
It hurts when you friends do this
but hurts even more when a friend who is like family says this not your actual family.
You act strong because someone has to be
and when you finally break somehow people find out and think less of you.
We all cant hold in our emotions all the time.
We break and are hurting and
people come and make you feel worse.
We want to turn back the clock and cant.
but we are forced to get over it.

"Fanners" is a word, it's in the Bible just one time [1]
This Fanner brings Destruction, Destruction so sublime

This is just a preview, a warning of God's WRATH
In the Bible you can read, read the aftermath [2]

You'll be blown away, by wind and also FIRE [3]
You were warned but you ignored, ignored the warnings dire

Now it's too **** late, you'll be killed and sent to Hell
Damnation for Eternity...you earned it oh so well

[1] Jer 51:2
[2] Book of Revelation
[3] WW3

Four friends have I, four men of truth
Four pillars strong this honored group
Words of wisdom you can count upon
Mathew, Mark, Luke and John

The song they sing is one of hope
As they guide you along life’s slippery *****
The homage they pay is to one alone
Whose Father sits upon Heaven’s throne

Christ they serve and he alone
His humble wisdom they intone
Their words they write to glorify
The One Lord of which they testify

Make a choice they say, do not be deceived
Choose the Son of God and be reprieved
To choose any other heart's desire
Leads only to Hell’s eternal fire

The one and only chosen one
Is the one and only chosen Son
He’s the one to put your trust upon
Say my friends Mathew. Mark, Like and John

I guess you really can not forgive me
in this beautiful country of yours
for I hold you so dearly, under those
Canadian stars, sure we may dream
miraculous things, but weight on
these feathers and waning wings
serpentine jealousy, babe, not envy
please, leave, me, be, innocent, of
steam, send onto me Jesus Christ
Girl, i need someone to clarify biblically
did the catholic we knifed, deserve
to call me a worthless being, or will i find him
in prison like everyone finds him I'm just
happy its 20 14, when Tupac  is to be reborn
Judge his reasonings were, my Mother didn't raise me
Catholic, her mother did want her Mothers
Mother , to have not wanted to raise her
Daughter, catholic, in the snow, with a tune
for you, waiting at the St, Stephen Torro Cemetery
Holden , your best friends broken rosary/broken nose
Pope Francis, we came to opposite levels of holy,
Heaven or Hell only knows, over standing does not exist
Mathew 6 Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

over the shoulder squeals
giggles atop great grandma's quilt
from under the tree
that we have all hit our heads on

way up in the field
screaming up in to the sky
NO POCKET KITE
WHAT ARE YOU DOING???!
diving a dipping
then crashing
youre no trick kite!
nothing but a dollar store impulse buy
ill *** you up and stuff you back
into the belt-clippable makeshift container
the one you shamefully came in
curse you and your inadequately short string
maybe she'll have you
return you to your designers glory
not i

oh but you
i see you
soaring
string waaaay to far out
dangling above the trees
and power lines to boot
aloft at least 100 meters up
today you soared
mathew perry shoot
thats what im going to call you
parachute in a bag
to heights i could never achieve
standing in the sand
waves crashing against phalanges
in those years
over a decade back now
and you
and your potential joy provided
collected dust
in that same place that i left you
all those years ago

but i had to call the dog back up
"TESS DOG, HEEL!"
and i had to wipe the quinoa of my hands
and roll up your string
she had to stop smiling at some point
your stewardess or should i say flight attendant
smiling, no loving.
or staying.
kissing.

oh lets stay here!
in the field
atop the blossoms of berries
yet ripened
smiling
"pulling and running!!!"
under the shade tree
on a blanket
holding hands

give me thirty days though
i have some things to work out

How is Gary..?
How are you..?
Is there something you need..?
Is there anything I can do..?

Appreciative and humble,
We need things not.
I pray for a mumble,
Or some sort of thought.

I can still see the life in his face.
We wait for miracles,
And watch them take place.
As we wait for his warm embrace

I say prayers at your side
while I hope hard you will come back.
Keep holding tight on this long ride,
And know our love for you will never lack!

Gary Mathew its not your time.
We all know this to be true.
Oh brother of mine,
I don't want to see a world with no you.






https://m.facebook.com/LoveForGary

https://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/love-and-support-for-gary-jr-/239630#.VCT4WRfll-U.facebook

... the kingdom of heaven is an internet cast into humanity's lake to catch all the colored fishes. When full of complexity, the investment fishermen pulls it to safe harbor. Then sitting down, they bin the good ones, and throw errors for bad. This is how it will be at the end of the Age of Pisces. The ghosts in the machine will come and cluster the good bins into productive castes, and collect all the garbage, permanently deleting time in a blazing shredder where there will be weeping at airports and gnashing of teeth.

i went to see the christmas lights yeah i did it wss fun

you see we were traveling around using our good eyes

we saw a few and i took a few photos after i had bolognaise and a beautiful cake

and i talked about the great poetry slanm a place to go to read poems

ya see, mate i thought the lights were fantastic, dude

we were sitting in the car getting photos of each’

we yelled out merry christmas to all the owners, cool man eat my shorts

it was radically awesome how each house had a lot of things in their display

i was talking about the movie deck the halls with danny devito and mathew broderick

both go for the right to be the streets christmas man

i am a bit of a christmas man, i love the idea of santa coming for the kids

dropping in through the computer, delivering presents as he he goes

i played santa at vinnies in belconnen and i enjoyed making the kids very happy

one kid said why do you want to play santa, i think playing santa gives me fulfilment

and we sing we wish you a merry christmas a full boar ripper christmas

we wish you a merry christmas

i have a big dose of schizophrenia, which makes me look tired

but, dude, it doesn’t really bother me, because i am healing, ya know getting better

and as i sit down anywhere, in cars and at hone, my mind has a tired look

sometimes it’s good to fight it, with the fact that you ain’t really tired

it’s just the high dose medication i am on

and as i travelled around the christmas lights

i was saying i wanna do more and i wanna see more, without looking at the time

because it was getting close to 10,00 and the others were tired

but me, i was happy to sit in the back looking at the lights till midnight

in the future i would love someone to take me out to civic on new years eve, that’ll be cool, man

and i think of bart simpson when i say, do the bartmab do the bartman

everyone back and forward from side to side

ya see, the medication makes me calm, making me think of how i was back in the 1970s

when i was mucking with my family in wood berry, and being told to shove my nose to the wood

but i loved stopping for an ice cream at hexham oak factory

and looking at the lights tonight, reminded me of when we walked down georgetown at their lights

ya see i was thinking, tonight, in the back seat, i am a happy dude, and the lights are making me a party dude

i wanna party all night long

it was a great christmas party, duds

We've come together
To reach our Mecca
At 10 Mathew Rd.
Blessed by the Beat Les Musique,
Beneath this winding road.
(Son les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble).

Mersey Beat shook the world,
In the beginning,
In the end,
Then across the universe.

I get a feeling
Beneath this burning neon sign,
Proclaiming,
The Cavern.
I imagine
I hear:
I am he
And you are he...
I'm peaking here
Above holy ground.

Don't ask me why
We said the things
We said today.
We've carried that weight,
Said hello and goodbye,
Good morning, good morning,
Good night.
And when I'm down,
And I'm so tired,
And when you needed someone,
We could work it out.
Why worry over yesterday,
Let yesterday
Be.

Hold my hand
As we descend
Thirty-three steps,
And stand again
Like we're seventeen
Before the altar of song.
In this crypt
I'm a child
Buying tickets
For a ride.

Now hold me tight
As the two of us
Twist and twirl and shout.
I'm happy
Just to dance with you.

From this cellar,
Rose sons of man,
To sing and teach
Of love and peace,
And the brotherhood
Of man.

Let's ascend the stairs,
Oh darling,
It's getting better
All the time.
Here comes the sun,
I'll follow.

listen
how
the
blind
priest of Wales
read
the
23rd psalm
Mark
and
Mathew
from  
the touch of braille

My skin is windy- the world is grey-
Now and forever- there I'll stay

You broke my heart saying you were gay
you stole the best years of my life and
i had a freaking *** change like you wanted
feel messed up in the head cause you asked
me to do something i did not want to do
i became a lady like you wanted. still ******
cause i got thoughts like i don't like me no
more cause of that *** change and losing my
job and all that kinda stuff. still **** at this
poem writing but getting better i think.
My name was Mathew and not i is just
mims cause of you asking me to have a
*** change then dumping me for a woman.

Rock: Confused yet strong,
Silent and passionate.
Hard place: Aware yet insecure,
Ambitious and promising.

Trying to be liberated;
Free from the ties of
Family and religion.
Unable to escape.

Planted in faith,
Scorched by doubt.
Pushing deeper to find
Waters of redemption.

Mathew, am I drowning? With
A milstone around my neck?
Falling asleep and drifting
To an eternity of darkness.

Earthly comforts and ambitions,
Desired deeply, and prayed for.
But soft skin calls to me. The strong,
Deep voice calls from straight ahead.

A crossroad. Red light.
Amber soon.
Time to decide.
Before it turns green.

Athiesm and faith.
Ask a priest.
Ask him if they can
Coexist.

A blanket of warmth and close stitch
caress my skin comforting me
Heavy eyes symbolizing
peaceful nights
my worries shrink to childish thought
and laughter
I am pulled into a dream
in which you've brought to me
where the nightmares of today's
strife can not enter nor taint
and I am on the brink of a trance-like
sleep where I am aware
yet trusting held tightly in your hands
you keep me on the breezier side of cares
your love a dancing flame creating a cozy room
your smell intoxicates while locked in a sweet
embrace consumed by your aura
and baby blue's
you whisper so softly tales of forever
and the belief follows every utter
of the tune
I continue holding you as the tears roll down
and I wish I could capture them
for they were pure
full of truth and happiness
Once so jaded this feeling belated
but its finally arrived and it seems right on time
saving me from the terrors of love once known
I could see myself in you forever
balancing eachother as a whole
we fit as tho we were made for the other
and I am beginning to believe this is true
Sean Mathew Eckert I ode to you
and I will shout it from the rooftops
so all shall know

Mommy, you're so beautiful and wonderful
you work all day just so you can feed our hungry little mouths
I know you work so hard, I wish I could lift the burden from your shoulders
We've hit hard times mommy, the economy is ****
too many people are stingy, too many people struggle, not enough people live
Mommy, I wish you could have a day of rest
if anyone deserves it, it's you.
Although, I know you can't.
Once I can drive mommy, once I can work
I'll be able to help, although minimum wage won't make a difference.
It's just that, mommy, you take care of all of us
My older brother, Michael, who with autism is troubled
Me, the middle child, who is undeserving.
Mathew, the youngest, who is spoiled and has no idea the value of money.
My dad, who tries his best, mommy he does. Please just remember nobody is perfect.
Mommy, you are an angel, who keeps us all safe. We all love you mommy, with the bottom of our hearts.
Happy Mothers Day mommy :)

Twenty years ago I stood upon a stage
I learned there was a man
Who gave his life to save
Each and every one of us
No predudice in sight
This man his name was Jesus
To this world
He is the light.     ( john 8 : 12)
He asked that we should follow him
By their fruits you will know.    (mathew  7 : 20)
He hoped we'd read his words
With his guidance we would grow
To become more like the master
Be imitators of him
No longer chase our own desires. ( Galatians 2: 20 )
For he now dwells within
I walked this path for many years
Wasn't easy
I gave in
To all the things I shouldn't have
My life so full of sin
I've tried to run
Tried to hide
From the good lord up above
But he is the vine.  (John : 5 : 15 )
I am the branch
He's still there -I feel his love
I now know and I realise
His hands upon me every day
I will now ask his forgiveness
Get down on my knees
And.  Pray.

Say good-by to the old year;
Say hello to the new.
Let go of the past and try to recast
A new and exciting you.
Say good riddance to all of your worries;
Start out fresh and clean.
Strive to find peace of mind
In TWENTY SEVENTEEN.

The past year was a messy one
With floods in the Midwest.
Then the ruler of North Korea,
Who has to be possessed
And thumbs his nose at the world and is
Always involved in a tussle,
Exploded a hydrogen bomb, thus
Flexing his little muscle.
LGBT and voting rights
Were both under attack.
Horrible massacres occurred
In Pakistan and Iraq.
In Syria and Afghanistan
Massacres happened as well.
And Jerusalem and Saudi Arabia
Both had a taste of hell.

Record-breaking blizzards made
The East cold and wet.
Scaring the world, the Zika virus
Continued to be a threat.
The water in Flint, Michigan,
Was an ongoing crisis.
Ancient ruins in the Middle East
Were STILL being bombed by ISIS.
The Clinton e-mail "scandal" grew
To ridiculous proportions.
More and more states were killing
Women's rights to abortions.
President Erdogan in Turkey
Cracked down on the press.
In the South China Sea, China
Was causing a lot of distress.

Britain voted to leave the EU.
Obama went to Japan
And visited Hiroshima--
A long-overdue plan.
Russia hacked U.S. computers
And boasted of certain connections,
Making us wonder how much control
We have over elections.
Summer record-breaking heat
Baked many states,
While the media bombarded us
With presidential debates.
The Summer Olympics took place this year
In lovely Rio, but mercy!
It's always hard to pull that off
Without some controversy.

This year we lost some famous people--
Too many to list.
Bowie, Ali, Leonard Cohen
And others will be missed.
(By the way, if memories here
Tend to focus on bad things,
Just remember that life is full
Of both happy and sad things.)
The economy has made improvements;
Unemployment is down.
Some businesses, they say,
Are really going to town.
Many people want to know
How much Donald Trump earns;
The billionaire still refuses
To show us his tax returns!

Fires raged in California.
In Oklahoma the land
Shook from fracking quakes, which
Are getting out of hand.
Protesters demonstrated
Together at Standing Rock
The oil pipeline coming their way.
They gathered round the clock.
Hurricane Mathew slammed hard
Into our eastern coast.
But Glenn Beck's conversion was
What shocked us the most,
Next to the presidential election,
That is. What a surprise!
And to think the unthinkable happened
Right before our eyes!

But say good-by to the old year;
Say hello to the new.
Let go of the past and try to recast
A new and exciting you.
Say good riddance to all of your worries;
Start out fresh and clean.
Strive to find peace of mind
In TWENTY SEVENTEEN.

- by Bob B (12-28-16)

My favorite verse of scripture [1], is from the Book that’s last  
It’s about the Wrath of God, poured out on you en masse  
-
Chapter number fourteen, verses nine and ten  
As I watch you burn, I will shout AMEN
-
You’ll fulfill another verse, from the Sermon on the Mount  
Mathew five verse five, God will settle His account  
-
How many lovey-dovey “Christians” will there be that take the Mark?  
All the non-Elect, to “The Way” you did not hark [2]  
-
I will watch you burn…watch you fricassee and fry  
After you’re well done, I will watch you die
-
Then you'll be sent to Hell, then the Lake of Fire
Forever there you'll burn, YOUR jESUS was a liar [3]

[1] And - Psalm 139:21
[2] Rev 13:8
[3] "Another jESUS" http://hellopoetry.com/poem/998361/are-you-a-christian/

Mathew always tells me to do what makes me happy
On days where I'm afraid to step under the rain
Or speak my mind out loud
And coming from everyone else, I would ignore them
But when Mathew says it,
I know that he knows how to be happy.
A lot of us forget to do that sometimes.
To do what we love,
And love what we do.

At 3 am I sit on my couch
Placing my head between my knees and slouch,
Waiting for my phone to reach 100
But thousands of memories are reverting in my head.

I think, ponder and contemplate
Couldn't get any answers straight.
All the bemuse have covered me up,
So full that I feel now it's enough.

I asked myself a simple question
Am i doing something wrong?
My brain says you are very right
But my heart says you're on the wrong side.

I move forward to the window
And waiting for the sun to show.
But thoughts do not leave me alone
Made me feel like I'm just a drone
Doing nothing but just mating is not for me,
I'm to collect nectar even while I'm in a spree.

Then I woke up from everything,
I have confused myself in just a blink.
All I think about is past and future but not the present
I stop and say I'll live and cherish every moment.        
                                          
                                                By J Mathew

wash the cabbage
peel the parsnips
down to church
for morning worship

Esmerelda at the *****
on the triangle (Bermuda)
Captain Morgan,

Mathew, Mark, Luke and when
we've read the verses one to ten
the vicar drones on once again

I'm going down the pub.

What would it take for you to care?
The reader of this piece.
To spark an emotion deep within your inner soul?
I could say my friend and I were close
But that general  story would not turn head
And you would forget you had read this at all
What if I gave him a name?
A name that gave him purpose to me
To identify his broken body
For me to nod my head at the call of this--name
His name was Mathew
And though I could not be there when it happened
I write to you, to say I wish I knew more of him
I wish I had understood his smile
But a year ago, in the warm air of summers bubbling evening
A man decided to let drink drive for him
And a body lay on the street
They called him Cheese, for he always smiled
A natural smile that warmed the room
And every day I want to say
That I wanted to know you a little more
Your brother and I had been friends but never
Close to call "Best" friends
But your family was always good to me
And I saw you from time to time
In retrospect I knew your humor
The hearty laughs I'd hear in your house
And even if I knew nothing of what was funny
I smiled
And laughed as well
Your father coached me numerous times
The basketball court never failed to hold
His compassion and love for the game
I know he loved you all the same
And someday I may see you
And I will introduce myself with name
And we will be in a better place
Void of sad thoughts and earthly pain

Oh look up in the sky, frightful signs behold
What could all this mean? In the Bible it is told
-
The Bible tells of grief, of pain and death and woe
In Mathew 24, through this you're going to go
-
Then go read Isaiah, chapter ten plus three
Who is this Babylon? very soon you're going to see
-
The Prophet Jeremiah, wrote of death and woe
Chapters fifty fifty-one...this was written long ago
-
Babylon will burn, burn in atomic fire
Vengeance from the Wrath of God...Jeremiah was no lire
-
Not the Babylon of old, the Babylon today
TOTALLY DESTROIED [1], this is the USA

[1] WWIII