The Half Finished Confessions of Craig Mason

I met Craig Mason, a young artist, and expatriate teacher in Daegu, at the launch party of Daegu Pockets, and of course I ran into him again at an International Art Show, at the Daegu EXCO, and later on when he was slaving away during Crap Art at Club That. When I asked Craig to contribute my blog, he quickly volunteered, and I was actually inspired his reply. I myself, was stuck in some sort of writer's stalemate, over thinking the direction where I was going. His email and contribution woke me up. Other friends of mine had given up, life events overtook their art, and for others, a simple, "ahhhhhhhhhhh, about that project" gave way. I know what I committed to, and this year, I have not had the luxury to agonize non-stop at my keyboard. So, with my notebooks strewn across the floor I went back to work and I will finish, because there is something good about keeping your commitments. THANK YOU CRAIG, your email came at the right time.

WARM-BLOODED ANIMAL


It's what we are in this place, or used to be,
Where we've been, where we come from, how we got here,
Who we know, what we have before us, how
The world on its own is here without us, how

Life is a mysterious fog we live in, how
Dreams go backwards, fix themselves in the form of
Beliefs grown over us here, us saying
We could have been struggling here, strangled even,

Said of we believe in ourselves at last,
Brought into focus by it being said we did
Cruise over the world here, in the air verily,
Believed in as this wide world we know, and shouting all the while.

Verse and Images by Craig Mason

Hey Marilyn,
I've been in a similar situation as Amber in trying to represent gratitude for Korea.
It reminds me of when I had to write a short paper about The Feminine Mystique for an American Studies class---eventually, after a year, I finally turned in a poem about a mother resting her eyes as dinner baked in the oven, a cat quizzically eying the cupboards every time his owner opened them, and a student eating peanut butter out of a jar in procrastination.
The professor admitted he didn't understand the poem, but granted me poetic license, and gave me a C for the course.

Maybe if I were to send you a segment of a poem, a picture of the girl I like, and a painting I've been working on, you would give me less than a C!---but it's better than nothing, right?!:
Yes Craig, It's alright. It's as real as life gets. Thank you.

Significant Symbolic Gestures

Symbolism is very important to cultures around the world. For Buddhists, the lotus blossom is a very prominent symbol. Even with coming up for the name of this blog I thought about what the Louts Sutra means in eastern culture, the discourse of Buddha towards the end of his life, which was written in India about 1st century BCE. Although the myth is that this text was written during Buddha's life and stored for 500 years with the dragons because the peoples of his time were not ready for this knowledge. Still today, it is a rare text to come across.

Most Buddha images will have a lotus blossom in the Buddha's hand...as if it is a clue. However, what draws me to many religious texts were not so much about the doctrines and dogmas, but how they were written in codes and riddles leaving the reader with something to ponder. To motivate the reader to exercise the matter that lies within their skulls.

Even this display of wrapped prayer strips tied together with long strings. It could be the act itself is enough for someone to have a little faith that someone cares about the struggles, dreams, and wishes one has. The real need to be validated, to release their troubles to someone other that those closest to them. Perhaps it serves as a form of therapy that needs to exist outside of therapists and counselors.

I personally thought that someone had died when I saw one of these displays. I wanted to extend my condolences. However, instead when you see one of these floral displays in front of a business, it is a wish for success for a new business. So once again, I do see how different we can be when we apply our own culture outside of our realm. Shame on me.

Finally, I thought about how it is a rare thing for friends of the same gender to walk arm in arm or to hold hands. Our natural tendency to be protective of our personal space. I have to say that I was personally startled the first time I was grabbed by the hand. It just really isn't done. To walk arm-in-arm, clutching each other is such an act of familiarity that I had to stop myself from being so rigid. I get shocked by the innocence, and somehow that just makes me smile. I still get surprised.