A simple, zen and minimalist post this week as my intent is to simply honor the spirit of men.
Know that this is not meant to be sexual because our views on sexuality are different and varied and could never be contained in one persons perspective.
It is about embracing the full nature of our spirituality and simply honoring men because it seems everywhere I turn women are adored and put on artistic display.
Women are portrayed in art more often than men as their silhouettes are compared to the S curve of a swelling horizon.
Okay, that is only fair.
Women are the anima, the internal creative and intuitive power and men are the animus, the external and outward actions that put our internal hunches into action. But one would not be without the other.
And somewhere in the middle we meet.
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My Prose on Men
I am not a painter. I am poetic, but if I could draw or paint I would create a new niche.
I would paint men with their chiseled faces, shadows, their silence and instruments of peace.
I would place wings on their backs and liberate them from the weight they carry on bare shoulders – freckled shoulders kissed in afternoon sun.
I would surround them in hues of blue and green where the ambiguous meet.
The color of blueberries, faded blue-jeans and the in-between shades of parchment and fall days.
Not violet – but indigo washed in twilight.
Not red or pink – but orange and brown covered in the wash of a sunset.
When I am weak I want to be carried by a man. I want to be strong armed into my grace and creativity by the largeness of vulnerability known only by a man.
Because I love how they think and don’t judge, how they are strong, but buckle at the sight of beauty.
How they are motivated by the good of the group.
Art is too much about the beauty of women, so I proclaim a new space. I long to paint my admittance of being weakened by the sight of men.
If women are curves ~
Then men are lines and logic and a force that does not insist, but perpetuates growth and outward beauty.
I would liberate them from any blame they have carried and paint them into rounded corners of never saying I’m sorry.
For the burden of blame does not come naturally to them, they would much rather carry on and do the work that needs to be done.
Men persist and move through the brambles, muck and turmoil and lovingly carry the world on their backs.
Yes, we are different, but in the dark of night we share dreams. In sheets of moonlight we cover each other, we fill in where the other is weak. Men put forth where we take in – and we meet.
This would be my niche ~ because I find the greatest joy and ability of being she in the loving of he.
But alas, I am not a painter. I am merely a writer stricken by words shackled to an arrow.
The age and wisdom of the universe lies in the heart of a man and the dawning and birth of ideas lies in a woman. And let this serve as my word to liberate all men so that I may persist.
If grace is my word then I set you free. I give you a fruitful space to rest and I honor the completion found in we.
No woman can understand the true joy of being adored until she has felt the glory of liberating a man.
And somewhere in the middle, between a curve and a shadow – we meet
~ I lay down my pen.
Nicole Rushin © September / 2011
and resist the urge to over-explain…
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Nicole Rushin is an emerging voice in online writing and a forever student of all things dream…life begins in the dream world, not the other way around. She is the New Media Creative Director for Punch Advertising and offers private marketing consulting and freelance writing services.
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Nicole, you’re kind with men, through your prose, to “liberate them from any blame” they carry for their love of fighting each other and, better yet, mutually annihilate, to kill animals for fun, and to hide women in burkas or pay them to undress.
Fortunately there are exceptions. With your prose and spirit even more in the future. So let’s rejoice.
Could your kindness be a compliment in disguise to your father, the men you have known, and your own kindness and spirit?
“Create a new niche”, “somewhere in the middle we meet”, “carry on and do the work”, “share dreams … cover each other ,,, fill in where the other is weak … put forth where we take in – and we meet … the greatest joy in the loving of s/he” … what a niche! Count me in any day of they week, any hour of the day.
PS. In a recent male-dominated discussion, I wondered aloud why would God have created woman with ears, too, since – according to millennia of (religious) men – only men could ever hear Her, or Him. Laughter came from the women present, mostly.
Hi Beat,
In my mind it was a reference to my own spirit, but of course the only mirror I have of men are the ones I have known.
You are right many bad things have been done in the past and are still being done by men, but not all men can or should carry the blame for these deeds.
I get the humor in your last statement – but I bet it went right over the heads of most of the men. LOL!
My Friend Nicole – I want to get up after reading this prose dedicated to the man spirit and give you a clapping BRAVO, BRAVO, BRAVO – Encore, Encore, Encore…..the words flowed out of you like water –
Beautiful – touched my heart my friend – as if you were in my head –
Hey, were you in my head again!
Love, light and Bliss to you,
Lucky the man that has you!
Nancy
Nancy Shields recently posted..TAKE YOURSELF OFF THE DISCOUNT RACK…..
I don’t think I was in your head Nancy. Was I in your head?
So glad you enjoyed it. I think it is time we all came together and honored each other instead of all the bickering and blaming and maybe it is just the point I am at in my growth. I loved the last post on your blog about Taking Ourselves off the Clearance Rack. A timely subject.
Nicole …OMG! This is beautiful … I had my son read it. Gabe will be 16 tomorrow and he loves to read. He loved it and said he felt proud to be a man… While I was reading this, I had a vision of a pastel I want to do… A Man…
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Nathalie! That would be so cool! I hope you show it off when you get done with it. Or at least show it to me. So glad you son read it too. That makes me feel honored.
I am an artist, not writer, but that is a fine piece of thinking, put on paper( well,e-paper)
so…. will you do a screenplay for Animus house?
men and women are the ying-yang, so…” why can’t we all just get along” Rodney king
That was a great post Nicole. I really enjoyed reading it!
Hi Rochelle, I don’t know why I am just now seeing your comment. So glad you enjoyed the post.
Hello Carol, the last beckoning voice for local artists. One day there will be no boundaries to how far our art can be shown. That is my hope anyway.
I assume Animus House is an abstract idea, since I have never heard of it before, but it does have Cadence. I like the sound of it.
Rodney King spoke a lot in those words, but in the end could he do it? I am not sure. But we have to embrace ourselves before the world can find peace.
My husband is read this one and he is very proud being a man and my man. I am also proud of him. Thanks for this Nicole.
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Thanks Jill – I am glad you liked it. We should all be proud of each other.
Hi Nicole,
I jumped right over from Nancy’s. Boy, am I glad to be blessed by words of the softest touch and purest love.
I am particularly drawn to this phase in your post; “how they are strong, but buckle at the sight of beauty”. This really describe me so well. I am not a particularly muscular or big man, but I am strong in many ways. When I first met my wife, my legs literally buckled. She eludes such seduction. I was helplessly captured even in my state of commitment then. Now, I am plenty with her and our kids. We have our fights but we reconcile knowing that deep inside we connect. According to my legend, I was a high priest in Egypt who hijacked a high priestess from the pharoahs and rode away into the wandering desert. Thinking back of the five years we have been together, no wonder we faced so much trials. Well, I took her for a reason and that is the reason I buckle at her sight. I revel in this irony.
Great stuff Nicole. BTW, that was my wife’s previous name. She changed that to Doll.
Could I invite you to join a debate on my latest post? Need your unique voice to spice things up.
Jimmy recently posted..Should a Personal Development Program be Taught in Schools?
Sounds like your wife is a lucky lady – if you believe in such things as luck. That is an amazing story, and if your wife is the same lady you rode away with, I am sure you are playing out the same trials in this life. I wonder what Doll means?
I will definitely check out your blog. Thanks for stopping by and reading, Jimmy.
Good question. I am not sure what Doll means as well. But I can see that she is very fond of being referred to a Doll and an intelligent bimbo.
Jimmy recently posted..Should a Personal Development Program be Taught in Schools?
From what I could find it dates back to 1560. It was an endearing name for a female pet or mistress. Also Doll is said to be short for Dorothy. It was common to replace the R in a name for L deriving a nickname. Your wife sounds like an intriguing soul. I know you will treat her well.
Things have a way of coalescing. As hearts have unsaid ways to touch and be touched. Just like someone’s thoughts of inspiration, have a way of manifesting in surprising ways.
The boundaries some speak of, are selfinflicted and sustained by the masses.(My opinion)
Reality more and more seems subjective, to the unconscious hivemind of society.
Global events seem to stir and wake the dormant consciousness, as manifestations progressively speed up.
The selfdestructive nature of Ego luckily provides it’s counterpart, Transcending Love with equal means of progression.
In ways neither of us could have imagined, I hope I have touched your heart as you have mine.
Sebastian..
The right message usually shows up at just the right time. I wonder how you found the post? But anyway, so glad you liked it and thanks for your honest comment and feedback. I wrote this at a time when I was feeling so overwhelmed by women’s groups on the web. Not only women’s groups but art everywhere. Where is the honor for men? Where is the art to reflect men in their true light? I just felt like I needed to balance the scales a little, but found that this post made some men feel uncomfortable. And then some just said thanks. However it was taken it was written from the heart. Namaste~
Hello. Thank you for your beautiful poem. I am inspired to write my own. I have been searching for things which honor men as I feel there is such an imbalance of attention placed on women’s issues. I have two sons in the military, both pilots, both tender at heart, noble, gentle, thoughtful and amazingly devoted to service in the community and for their nation. My husband was instrumental in passing along an education which was based in these values. Thank you again. Men need to be reminded of their incredible worth.
Hi Katherine,
Thanks so much for commenting on this. I was just having a conversation about this post this morning with Reed, my boyfriend. So it is funny that your comment came up so suddenly. There is definitely and imbalance. I would love to see some wonderful artwork in the world portraying men in a good light. They are incredible and well worth painting, writing about, photographing or just honoring. Thanks so much for your comment.
Nicole~