Poetry

Cloudscapes 12

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My collection of cloud photos is limited so I’ll keep looking to the sky. We had a thunderstorm pass over the town and lake towards the Quebec side one early evening recently. I wasn’t able to catch the drama of the many lightning strikes. Photos not taken. A family member was outside with a neighbour during this dramatic entertainment when they saw what I call three ‘FFO’ s

That’s ‘Fast Flying Objects’. Whether alien or human craft, we don’t know. One after another, they flew over the lake heading north then made a sharp turn to the east straight into the lightning filled storm over Quebec. Why, we can only wonder…

The Birds and Us 2

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a quick revised version

The Birds and Us 2.

Birds judge others by size, by shape, by feathers,

ever surveilling nervously in fear.

Humans judge others by size, by shape, and even

by hair or lack of hair, while claiming

more intelligence, more wisdom, more understanding.

We still hold primitive prejudices today

about the size and shape of human bodies,

about height, about weight, about colour of skin.

We still hold pride of hair akin to ‘sin’,

shaming its beauty as something to hide,

confusing ancient jealousies with spirituality.

(Overzealous religionists and the piously insane

added their misunderstandings to centuries

of ‘Shame and Blame’ oppression, harming bodies-

never the Creator’s wish nor love of God.)

We love beauty, celebrate beauty, yet still

we hate and hide beauty from sight.

Humanity swims in a sea of contradictions!

We still judge character, intelligence, abilities,

by body size, by shape, by skin, by hair.

Diversity is a gift of Nature, of Life, of God,

so why is there still such divisiveness in these

attitudes, beliefs, behaviours among us?

Why all the fuss about things like hair?

Male and female, both, whatever description

appear with many kinds of hair…

like natural, dyed, straight, wavy, black, blonde,

with styles chosen or required to wear…

Why must hair be worn short or long on old or young?

Why do we praise, criticize, ridicule, even condemn

based, clearly, on how we appear?

Why is pride, humility, defiance, messaged on heads?

Why are we obsessed with less or more weight?

How does human skin translate to hate?

Do we really wish to be ‘birds of a feather’

who must ‘stick together‘, the thinking, acting ‘look alikes’?

Why are differences seen ‘strange’ or feared?

What does that say about human intelligence?

What does that say about wisdom and understanding?

(Birds judge others by size, by shape, by feathers,

ever surveilling nervously in fear.)

August 17, 2025

Shelley A. Wilson

Haileybury, Ontario

When Is Art Not Art

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When is Art Not Art?

When is Art Not Art?

We experience, observe, decide, discern

as we grow, evolve and learn.

When ‘Art’ is Abuse, Sadistic, Masochistic,

without Conscience, Caring, Compassion,

it is clearly Not Art to me I see,

only abilities and powers misused,

sure signs of Hearts and Minds confused-

Life’s respect and dignity denied, refused.

What does this ‘Not Art’ plainly state

beyond personal preference and taste,

beyond collective judgments, agreements

of religious and social morality

swiftly or slowly changing, or not,

through intelligent questions and revelations

about Humanity, Nature, Evolution, Creation…

It states our ‘World Views’, perceptions of God,

of Life Itself, of who we are and choose to be

as we co-create our World, our ‘Destiny’.

‘Not Art’ is Not Art’s ‘Shadow’ of Duality

or ‘Negative Space’ of Formless Grace.

This ‘Not Art’ is a degradation of mentality,

a sickness of Heart and Mind and Soul-

though some may choose to call it ‘Art’.

I choose the Beauty and Joy of Life in Art,

finding meaning, purpose, peace, delight

in its power both magical and divine.

I, truly, do love Art…

August 14, 2025

(This poem pairs with my previous poem- Art and Artists. )

Shelley A. Wilson

Haileybury, Ontario