Everyday Canvas

An Artiste's Death and Writing IS a Way of Life

Prompt: November 10th we lost one of my favorite artists, Leonard Cohen. If you are familiar with his work, share with us what you enjoyed. Have you read his poetry or his books? If you are not familiar discuss an artist that has passed that you loved.

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I haven’t read Leonard Cohen, but I am familiar with his fantastic music, which has influenced other art forms greatly, for example, the movies, and paintings like Dance me to the end of love, which inspired a popular Jack Vettriano painting with the same title. Then I also love his many other songs such as, off the top of my head, Take This Waltz, You Got Me Singing, To Love Somebody, Picnic in the Park, I tried to Leave You…etc.

Any death leaves us sad, especially if it is that of an 'artiste' in life or in any art form. I felt bad a few months ago when Pat Conroy passed away, as his writing almost talked to me. He wrote everything from the heart, and I read all his books, and because of him, I even read his wife Cassandra King’s books. I felt bad for Pat Conroy’s passing because of selfishness. I am selfish to think that an artist has died and he won’t be writing for me, again. Other than that, I have to believe him to be in a better place and that death is inevitable in our human experience.

Prompt: Writing isn't a hobby. It is a way of life. Do you agree?

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Absolutely. At least for me, it is a way of life as it is an inquiry into living this life, kind of “What’s it all about, Alfie?” It is also a serious game that encourages me to play with words, phrases, and ideas.

Moreover, in essence, we are all lonely, no matter how many loved ones, friends, and people we may have around us and even if we don’t consciously feel loneliness. Plus, that loneliness cannot be told in its entirety for it is larger than life, other people’s understanding, and even our own understanding.

In writing, that loneliness emerges to express itself in bits and pieces. Then, as a companion to that loneliness, writing life is lonely, too. That is probably why writing is good for the soul. It is also good for the personality as it observes and interprets the input from life and produces our feedback to it. Sometimes we write from our whole self, other times from its bits and pieces. In any case, writing makes life bearable and it is a good defense against the boredom from it.