Artwork © Claudio Parentela

 

Allow Me to Pose a Question

So cavalier, it’s an art form and you’re a Picasso
Describe me in broad strokes: I’m awed by the colors
You chose. Make my pain glamorous though you’ve
Got a rather petulant take on this. Must be what you
Artists call creative license

I don’t even recognize myself any more.

Broken down to the core elements of
Background music: Something sultry by Billie Holiday
Always works, and I’d rather be defined by blueblack
high yella red bone, blue lights in a slow grind basement
Or green lights giving us no reason to slow down; that’s my
take on it (And what am I getting out of this again?

Capture me from my best side, head to foot, one arm
Akimbo. Squint hard and I see you in the background:
(“blue black high yella red bone”
Again, what are you trying to hand me?

It’s an artist’s prerogative.

And I never knew how beautiful:
How beautiful: how beautiful
This much pain could be.

 

Connie Johnson is a Los Angeles, CA-based writer and poetry is one of her favorite forms of meditation, self-care and healing. She is currently working on her first book manuscript and in that Langston Hughes (Father of Jazz Poetry) is one of her favorite poets, it will probably be jazz-focused. Tentative title: I Have Almost Everything.

Born in Catanzaro (1962-Italy) where he lives and works, Claudio Parentela is an illustrator, painter, digital painter, photographer, mail artist, cartoonist, collagist, textile artist and freelance journalist. He has been Active since many years in the international contemporary art scene.