The Beauty of Bad Art

They tell me
someday it will all make sense,
that the odd angles,
the twists and turns will emerge
swanlike
into an artful life,
a fascinating story,
but for now,
it is merely an awkward oddity
of sacred and profane,
a film noir kind of life,
far too strange for truth.

And yet, it is.
The sun shines brightly
on each mismatch
of mixed emotions and contradiction,
a life of bad art, failed experiments
and hearts touched less
by brilliance than the courage
to try. .

About this poem

One of my favorite books is “The Four Agreements” by Miguel Ruiz. And my favorite agreement is to always do your best – and whatever that is, is enough.

People watch us. And most admire, sometimes secretly, sometimes openly, even our spectacular failures. Because we had the courage to take a chance.

The photograph is of the art museum in Roanoke Virginia. I happen to love it, but there are many there who think it’s a blight on the 19th century landscape of the city.

And somehow, from those three things. This poem.

Tom