ArtWay

Beauty is not pasted over suffering but grows out of it—like the proverbial shoot from parched ground. Bruce Herman

Chris Lorensson & Dylan Clements

Dylan Clements: Sleeping 

 
Asleep on our knees
 
by Chris Lorensson
 
We could be depraved any minute of the day,
laid down like Cayman Islands' habitual silence.
 
Laid down like flaming wicker, flames and flicker.
 
There's peace in absence – and I'm left wanting
 
We balance atop a playful STAND [who]
promises to support us [and]
oath like no one else can do.
help lay down my head, upon a pillow on my bed
 
We could be engaged any minute of the day
wand'ring about why, or
wond'ring about why
 
But we stay — straight.
 
We discuss the ways to stay up late:
Cappuccino, látte, Betty Page.
Wilford Brimley, Bonnie Raitt.
 
We construct a waiting game –
playing each-others' turns away.
 
Keep our feet on the ground,
our heads are in the clouds,
stop the discussion & get us down,
with oath like no one else can do– promise to support me.
 
We stay
on display
any minute of
the day.
Fingers twitching, let us speak.
We're needy kids so leave us be.
Hit me with that Windex, kid –
and clear a way for us to leave.
 
laid down
 
We go down, and sleep on our knees.
Time slows by, and then rewinds.
We arise, still hear breathing like too much reverb…
exhaling wet breath on our jeans. un-do-ing our seams unravelling
exposing our knees
 
Asleep when things aren't always as they seem, reluctant,
to expose anything, like, say, ourselves ever again
 
There's enough of that in the world, but people keep on giving
Such generosity mends itself like a soldier in the bush
tending to press-on rather than dress his wounds.
 
Such exposition's like endless direction…
Concentration as time, sadly ends.
 
Clamber… up and be on the right or left side to begin.
It's all so messy, but we must begin.
 
**********
 
This is a collaborative piece by Dylan Clements and Chris Lorensson. Dylan Clements made the sculpture and the poem by Chris Lorensson was a response to it.
 
Dylan Clements is a Bristol-based sculptor. Over the past 10 years he has been active in the Bristol fine art and street-installation scene and has regularly contributed sculptures for the Elemental Arts venue at Glastonbury Festival, where his work has become well-known and sought after. Today, Dylan continues to exhibit his sculptures at local galleries and group exhibitions in Bristol.
 
Chris Lorensson, a Swedish-American from Los Angeles, has been writing poetry for 14 years and creating art for 10 years. In 1999 he pioneered the 'M4TH' international arts collaborative. In 2002 he helped run 'Pulse Eventuals', showing art at various venues across LA and Orange County. In 2005 he started the international writing collective procuring "unorthodox thoughts on Christian spirituality" at Upptäcka Network, and in 2010 Upptäcka Press was born to publish new ideas exploring the Christian faith. In 2011 Chris has published his first poetry anthology entitled Slurp, Gulp and start on Sounds. Later this year his essay "Mirror" will come out exploring the place of individuality & identity in faith-communities. Chris lives with his wife Ruth and baby boy Titus in Bristol UK where Chris and Ruth are active founding members of the LoveBristol Community and charity.
 
ArtWay Visual Meditation July 17, 2011