THE ANNUAL ART-POETRY COLLABORATION was on exhibit last month at South Seattle Community College. For me and other artists and poets it is also the imagination challenge. My interpretation of Lily Men-Sin’s poem “Hallucination” is above; a mixed media piece using photography, newspaper, and acrylic on gessoed chip board. The excitement for me, at least, is creating art that I would not have thought to create. I’m guessing the same is true for the poet’s as well. I hope that this tradition continues far into the future; it is an immensely enriching experience.

Hallucination

A crash

Disturbs my presence

 

I look over

At a site that shocks me

A conflagration

Across the Seattle skyline

The sight of my town

Being annihilated into bits and pieces

 

A great hullabaloo catches my attention

Helicopters flying in circles

But not helping put out my city

 

I have never felt so malevolent

I had a plan

The fractious side of me has taken over

I wanted the helicopter to go down

Down and burn along with my city

 

As I scamper over to a shop to take a weapon

Someone bumps me

Back into reality

 

The crash I have heard,

Were just kids skateboarding nearby

I look over at my city

And enjoyed the sweet simplicity of life

                                  —Lily Men-Sin

 

A pastel painting of an old abandoned Dodge truck was my submission to the poet. Lily wrote a poignant poem of remembrance. The painting was inspired by a photo I snapped an of old truck at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near of Phoenix, Arizona several years ago.

This Old Dodge

 

My grandfather’s truck was precious

He would take me out on school nights

For a smooth ride downtown

On summer days we’d go out to a drive-in movie

Laying on top of the hood

After my grandmother died

We took turns crying on each other’s shoulder

 

Today, I have no one to cry with

I have yet to shed a tear

Trying to stay strong for my own sake

Walking into my grandfather’s house

Has never been so hard

I take a step outside for a breather

I walk around and spot an unfamiliar rocky trail

I walk

Walk

Walk

And walk

Until the trail ends

A rusty old blue dodge

Parked ever so carelessly

Buried inside uncut grass

 

Memories overflow my brain

My legs automatically walk slowly towards the car

The loud screeching noise as I open the door

Chase crows our of the trees that surrounds me

My body perfectly matches the indented seat

That he eventually made for being in this car so many times

I open the glove box

Tears deluge my eyes

Inside is a candid picture my mother took

Of me and my grandfather laughing hysterically

Sitting on top of his precious old dodge

On the back of the picture was a note he wrote

“I love her more than this car.

The older it gets, the rustier it is.

While older she gets, the more beautiful and strong she is.”

I cry

Cry

Cry

And cry

 

—Lily Men-Sin