The Gazing Ball

The Gazing Ball by J. Binford-Bell

The Gazing Ball

It was blue

perched on pedestal

in my aunt's garden

revealing earth, sky and clouds

of my imagination to me.

It was a crystal ball

opening worlds I longed to know

alternate realities 

to the one I felt a prisoner of

my rabbit hole.

I was Alice

in its wonderland

of warped shapes 

and alternate colors

a universe away from here.

Mirror, mirror in the ball

tell me the answer

before I fall

locked forever away

from alternate realities.

J. Binford-Bell

March 2012

Gazing balls have always been one of my favorite things since visits to my first in the garden of my Auntie Boo. Visit JP at Olive Garden for other poetic takes on favorite things.

Magpie Tales 109

Image by Parke/Harrison

The day the world stopped

Stop the World

I want to get off

he had cried not thinking.

So when the days

ground to a halt

it fell upon him to fix it.

Why did nobody

come to help

Surely they noticed.

And so as he struggled

on that spring day

the earth stood still.

J. Binford-Bell

Get Your Kicks

A Road Once Traveled by J. Binford-Bell

Get Your Kicks

On Route 66

The old song said

The highroad

Now replaced.

Last stop 

Before the desert

Rattlesnakes ahead

And water not.

Kodak photo opportunities

Gateway to natural wonders

Painted desert, Petrified forest

Exit here.

We were there.

Jacqui Binford-Bell

March 2012

Magpie Tales - A long way come

So Long

From here

to there

And back again.

A long way

So very long the trip

To here.

So much further

to stay

or go.

She reached out

I looked back

there I laid broken.

Oh it was going to hurt

to return

but I knew I must.

I had so much further

to go

yet.

J. Binford-Bell

March 2012

Black and Whites or Close

Snuffy Smith cabin

Those of you familiar with my blog here and my work are aware that I am a colorful artist. And my love of color comes out in both my paintings and my photography. But did you know that I began painting again in 2001 with black and white and one color. Now it seems I am going that direction with some of my photography.

Idle Stream

 This one of the stream meandering into Eagle Nest Lake is a black and white but the Snuffy Smith Cabin photo above is grayed out or desaturated until just a hint of pink stucco remains.

Skip along

And the snow storm did most of my work here in Skip Along. It was decidedly a gray day. But sometimes I just have to let color creep back into a photograph.

Lady of Mystery

The color of the window sashes and the ghostly image within. In the original of this photograph the wall is yellow. Very yellow.

Basking in window

And while this one looks Black and White I had to leave just a tint of green in the leaves. While I enjoy playing around with the absence of color what sells is still my more colorful work. But the forms revealed when color is removed or reduced is very alluring.

Waputki Wall

We are watching you

Image by Sorolta Ban and provided by  Magpie Tales

Once

we were asleep

but we woke

and we are watching you.

Now

be afraid

watch your every step

the eyes watch.

J. Binford-Bell

March 2012

Ways of the Cross

Window Pane Acid Trip

Pride

It is forever my downfall

But if an artist

is not proud

Isn't that a greater sin?

I have never been greedy

Selfish from time to time

I am not neat

but certainly not slothful.

I lust in my heart

and envy the work of masters

but I harbor no wrath

and only eat to excess randomly.

But pride

in what I can accomplish

with the emotions I can bestir

with image and word.

Yes, pride is my sin.

Of that I readily confess.

It is my cross

To bear.

J. Binford-Bell

March 2012