The Salvador Dali exhibit

Well, I just got back in the house from the Philadelphia Art museum. I went to see the Dali exhibit. Before going I expected to go in and only look at the "pretty" pictures, because the art by him that I've seen on the internet at first glance...I didn't really like. I mean there were some weird pieces. But once there I got so caught up in the colors and the detail that he put into some of his work that I forgot all about looking at the pictures for what they were on the surface.

Some of the paintings looked like you could walk right into them. And other ones left you wondering what was on this man's mind...and I mean that in a good way. At the beginning of the exhibit you're given a set of headphones with a keypad, and as you walk through the gallery whenever you see a picture with a radio symbol next to it you type in the number and the headphones will play a explanation of the painting. (Gotta love technology!) The only problem with this was that there were so many paintings and not enough explanations.

I really had more fun than I expected to have. Almost every painting I looked at held my interest. Now that I've seen the pictures up close and with all the detail, there not all as "ugly" as I first thought.

New Poetry

I'm taking full advantage of the three day weekend. It's 2:30am and I'm up writing, basking in the glory of not having to go to the police academy tomorrow. Not only will it be a day off, but I have tickets to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see the Salvador Dali exhibit. I'm sure I'll share my thoughts on my expeience. I've never been to the Art Museum, and I'm kinda excited. Some things you just know you're going to enjoy. As for my writing, I've been doing more of it. This is my latest poem:

GOOD-BYE (MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA)

“He said he’s leaving, (leaving) on that midnight train to Georgia”
“(Leaving on a midnight train)”
“Said he’s going back to find…”

You told me you were leaving
Moving thousands of miles away from me
Part of me wanted to
Forever say goodbye to you
But the other part of me was stubborn
The other part didn’t want to say anything at all
So when we last saw each other
On the first day of summer
I let you walk away without telling you
That I was gonna miss you
I said, “Atlanta’s a long way from home.”
And gave a half smile that insinuated that
Because you were leaving me, you’d be alone
You agreed, but said you’d be back
But it still didn’t change the fact that
You’re leaving

“He’s leaving on that midnight train to Georgia”
“Said he’s going back to find a simpler place and time”
“And I’ll be with him, on that midnight train to Georgia”
“I’d rather live in his world, than live without him…in mine”

I tried saying how I felt in a letter
Thinking that if I could articulate how I felt…
I’d feel better
So I managed to spell it all out
But when I read back over my note, it seemed to just be
A bunch of meaningless words and letters…scattered about
You said you needed a fresh start at a new life
As we stood at my door, I couldn’t sacrifice
My pride just to let you know that I
Really didn’t want you go
The moment you said you were leaving
My mind said “No!” but what came out was…“So?”
And now you’re leaving

“He kept dreaming (dreaming), that one day he’d be a star”
“(A superstar but he didn’t get far)”
“Oh no”
“Uh uh no uh uh”

I’m glad you left when you did
And didn’t get to see the tears that slid
Down my face as I thought to myself
“We’re only a year into this”
As God as my witness
I swear I wanted to tell you to stay
I swear there was more
That I actually wanted to say
But I had to play
The tough girl role
And just let you walk away
Because I thought it was a sign of weakness
To admit that I changed my mind

“I’d rather live in his world”
“Than live without him in mine”

So now that I’ve written it all down
And I’m speaking honestly now
I’m officially saying goodbye
To you as a friend and the love that we found
And although I want to go
With you and live in your new world
And share in your new home
I have to say here and live in this world of my own.


Unique Verses May 29, 2005
Italicized words taken from ‘Midnight train to Georgia’ by Gladys Knight

It's amazing what comes to mind at 2am. I really had no intention on finishing this poem right away but the more I thought about the situation and the lyrics to the song, the more the thoughts poured on to my computer screen. Why stop creativity?