Sunday, February 20, 2011

DREAMS : The Children's Hour



This photograph Boy With Foxy Pop by Dawoud Bey intrigues me because I see myself in this little boy. It is hard to believe now, when children are treated as equals or friends who can express an opinion , that 50 years ago you if you were smart in most circumstances you repeated what adults wanted to hear.Not all kids got the message I guess they were the rebels . I was the observer from behind my eyes all I could do was stare. I was funny so funny I would fall off chairs laughing at improbable stories and loose thoughts that made little sense but the stories and laughter were like a drug to others. I was not the class clown there is always an edge.Then at about 45 I grew up. I miss falling off chairs in laughter the most.Laughing out loud too . The thing that remain was that odd sense that others never hearing what I said or what  I really felt...it is a mystery..I believe in what I say in the moment and then a new moment comes and I believe again.I like this kid unlike me he doesn't seem fazed by the camera.The picture for me has the contradictions I see in myself formal yet not too hot and cold but not warm

I never thought about living anywhere but Birmingham Alabama when I was a child,not brave enough and my dreams have always been small they could fit in my hand.I could whisper them to me .Love lead me away and when I am asked if I ever dream about returning home.The answer is one of my oldest dreams.Look a house,an entrance,a polished table ,a crystal vase in the vase magnolia leaves this photograph by Sylvia Plachy was taken in 2009 in Pike County Georgia ,leaves by god , dream and placement by me then I left.

2 comments:

  1. "and my dreams have always been small they could fit in my hand.I could whisper them to me." - beautiful passage John.
    keep laughing.

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