Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Poetry Jam "Glimpses of Gray" - Wrapping up my series on Monticello


Glimpses of Gray

History shouldn't be viewed
in black and white

with minds that accuse,
fingers that point.

In living color
we'll never see the past

lucky, perhaps, to view
glimpses of gray

help us understand
the hows, the whys

help us build
a better tomorrow

and pray future generations
will view our lives

with compassionate,
forgiving hearts.

by Margaret Bednar, Art Happens 365, May 1, 2012

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19 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

i like your poem very much.

Helen said...

Truly magnificent, Margaret. Words and images ...

Daydreamertoo said...

When you look back at old black & white photographs, they are still so full of life. Although, as a kid I used to believe that all the old black & white movies were that way because they all wore black & white...LOL
Loved your prose and the pics.

Mary said...

I enjoyed your poem and your photographs, Margaret. I agree that history should not be viewed in black and white. There are always interpretations possible even in the seemingly most straight-forward events. And yes, we cannot accuse...but hopefully will learn a few things from the past.

Brian Miller said...

and pray future generations
will view our lives

with compassionate,
forgiving hearts.

nice...can only hope the future generations are as forgiving of our miss steps...love monticello...was just up in c'ville this last weekend...

barbara l. hale said...

Wonderful poem and great photos of Monticello. I like the b&W.

Mary B. Mansfield said...

Amazing as always! I'm such a fan of B&W photos, and yours are exceptional. Lots of wisdom in that poem, love the hope held out for our future at the end.

Jeannelle said...

Thanks for the great tour!

Jeanne said...

Lovely photos and thoughts!

PattiKen said...

Margaret, you are an amazing photographer! These are gorgeous, and your poem an excellent expression of thoughts behind them.

Anonymous said...

Lovely photos and absolutely right. History is so complex and it is so wrong (I think) to judge out of context. People's views are products of so much.

Sometimes - and I know this is kind of a dumb comparison--but I think of old "historic" movies where people, the women particularly have some modern hair style -- a bee hive or something -- and it is so out of place in the so-called historical context. I know those are just movies, but people can do the same things when they try to look at historical situations solely through modern eyes. I don't mean to seem like an apologist in this, but I do think that simply more knowledge is useful, knowledge of the entire time. It is of course difficult because we also are products of our times. K.

Claudia said...

the better we understand history, the more we can learn..but still make so much mistakes and yep..hope that future generations will look at what we did with forgiving hearts... great wisdom in this margaret

James Rainsford said...

Your photos and words complement each other to perfection.

Ruth said...

I love Monticello and have wonderful childhood memories from there. Your photos are just stunning. I especially love the "wheel" shadow of the bentwood chair. Imagine the inspiration of living at such a place. No wonder he was so full of creativity. Your poem is quite true. We can't know how it was for each individual who has lived, without living in their circumstances.

Anonymous said...

love your words and photographs, Margaret!

Dan said...

Your images are rich and vibrant; adjectives typically reserved to describe coloured photos. Your photographs excel!

Timoteo said...

Much food for thought in those words.

Beachanny said...

Well penned lines to match the beautiful photography of Monticello. I admire Jefferson - a man not without blemish - a man of his times and a man beyond it as well. Truly a Renaissance genius who mastered so much and wrote so well. A fitting tribute here.

Ginnie Hart said...

Your B&Ws are exquisite, Margaret. The last one of the chair could win a contest, hands down!