Sanity may be madness but the maddest of all is to see life as it is and not as it should be.
~ Miguel de Cervantes

Everything you can imagine is real.
~Pablo Picasso

About the picture... (for those that might be interested)
This, Pablo Picasso's insightful, sassy, ubiquitous, black on white drawing of Don Quixote, has to be considered a minor masterpiece [and it is, most absolutely, my personal favorite piece by him]. It certainly is one of the most popular graphic representations known of Cervantes's wondrous character (the Cervantes Society has used it on its Newsletter). The drawing was made on August 10, 1955 for the August 18-24 issue (No. 581) of Les LETTRES françaises, a weekly French journal directed by Aragon, in celebration of the 350th anniversary of the publication of Don Quixote, Part I. The journal presented articles (p 1, 9-11) by José Bergamín, Jean Marcenac, Antoine Adam, Alice Ahrweiler, and Pierre Darmangeat, and in a small headline on its first page proudly announced ‘Un document exclusif: Don Quichotte vu par Picasso’. According to Timothy Hilton (Picasso, New York, Praeger Publishers, 1975, 64), Picasso sketched his Quixote for his friend, Pierre Daix, who ‘ran the magazine’.

Author's Note: I have spent the last couple/few weeks somewhere inside Miguel de Cervantes' glorious tale of Alonso Quixano (who is known, of course, more commonly by his "imagined" existence as Don Quixote de La Mancha). Suffice it to say that I am beyond intrigued by these three gentlemen (Cervantes, Quixano, and Quixote). I adore them each entirely. My journey through their lives/words moved me through thoughts too many to detail here, enumerable interpretations of the story (most of which I disagree, at least in some part, with), the (after the fact) discovery of the above picture and quotes, and the eventual drawing of my own conclusion about much of what I encountered along the way. Like Cervantes, I was moved to write and find myself unable, as he was, to share my words without first presenting a rambling preface which feels so entirely essential. I have already run amok in Forumland with related posts yet I still wish to say so much here. Most importantly, I suppose... I must note that this is still only a portion of what I wish it to be. It is, as well, a 'continuation' of many prior posts of mine - though an immediately connection does not exist to any of them except to one that might be viewing them 'from the inside', so to speak (as I, of course, am). What follows, then, appropriately enough it seems to me, is but a portion of the journey - in much the same way as the tale of Don Quixote De La Mancha was/is (as I see it) only part of Alonso's life story and Miguel's importance.
(Oh and... The line breaks in my piece may, I realize, make it difficult to find the intended rhythm/flow... but it is there for the finding and the breaks exist as they are for reasons it would take forever to explain. And I have, obviously, rambled quite enough already.)
~Snemmy


Now then....



For the Love of Windmills

I see windmills tilting in your mind -
masked giants standing before you
like points on a line to mark your direction
as you journey forth upon rallying
your bravery and revoking remorse.

I've heard the mad sounding rambles that
you’ve expelled when thought delusional
and under Love’s spell – oh! but those
visions I have seen myself, shall
forever remain your greatest wealth.

It matters little what any other being
might see if in your own heart you dare
to believe that the dreams once dreamt
by and for a self will yield
fulfillment once fear is felled.

Your journey will be epic, my knight
as it unfolds – your adventures recorded,
your story told, as you endeavor to satisfy
a growing need when from the bars
that hold you, you have been freed.

Reckless alone is an escapade
not yet begun and victory has less to do
with who won than the mere act of taking
that very first step and refusing another
day there in the arms of regret.

For insanity isn't in seeing things
others do not, it is rather in having vision
yet acting not – and the true definition
of utter defeat is turning back before
the ride, once begun, is complete.

For the disbelievers, the visionless, the
overtly cruel, will someday see as wise
the heroic fool who dared to dream and
dreamed so well that he let go ‘reality’
and bid all caution farewell.

All their tricks and maltreatment and
useless complaining having been but the
result of their remaining locked in a cage
of self construction still unable to see
beyond that simple obstruction.

Oh! But the key, dear knight, you now
hold in your hands and against the majority
you’ve taken a stand, readying yourself to
move well beyond a hopeless existence
where dreams can’t be found.

So remember, always, no matter what
troubles await, you must eternally trust in
this journey of fate – an accepting companion
will be there at your side when your heart
is your lead and love is your guide.

Just over the horizon, in the direction
you’re now heading, the sun once again has
taken to setting and yet another day ends
but dreams never do – they’re waiting,
Don Quixote, ever and always for you. [comments] => 10 [counter] => 592 [topic] => 14 [informant] => Silent-No-More [notes] => [ihome] => 0 [alanguage] => english [acomm] => 0 [haspoll] => 0 [pollID] => 0 [score] => 35 [ratings] => 7 [editpoem] => 1 [associated] => [topicname] => DreamsandWishes )

For the Love of Windmills Contributed by Silent-No-More on Saturday, 5th August 2006 @ 01:08:37 PM in AEST Topic: DreamsandWishes Sanity may be madness but the maddest of all is to see life as it is and not as it should be. ~ Miguel de Cervantes Everything you can imagine is real. ~Pablo Picasso About the picture... (for those that might be interested) This, Pablo Picasso's insightful, sassy, ubiquitous, black on white drawing of Don Quixote, has to be considered a minor masterpiece [and it is, most absolutely, my personal favorite piece by him]. It certainly is one of the most popular graphic representations known of Cervantes's wondrous character (the Cervantes Society has used it on its Newsletter). The drawing was made on August 10, 1955 for the August 18-24 issue (No. 581) of Les LETTRES françaises, a weekly French journal directed by Aragon, in celebration of the 350th anniversary of the publication of Don Quixote, Part I. The journal presented articles (p 1, 9-11) by José Bergamín, Jean Marcenac, Antoine Adam, Alice Ahrweiler, and Pierre Darmangeat, and in a small headline on its first page proudly announced ‘Un document exclusif: Don Quichotte vu par Picasso’. According to Timothy Hilton (Picasso, New York, Praeger Publishers, 1975, 64), Picasso sketched his Quixote for his friend, Pierre Daix, who ‘ran the magazine’. Author's Note: I have spent the last couple/few weeks somewhere inside Miguel de Cervantes' glorious tale of Alonso Quixano (who is known, of course, more commonly by his "imagined" existence as Don Quixote de La Mancha). Suffice it to say that I am beyond intrigued by these three gentlemen (Cervantes, Quixano, and Quixote). I adore them each entirely. My journey through their lives/words moved me through thoughts too many to detail here, enumerable interpretations of the story (most of which I disagree, at least in some part, with), the (after the fact) discovery of the above picture and quotes, and the eventual drawing of my own conclusion about much of what I encountered along the way. Like Cervantes, I was moved to write and find myself unable, as he was, to share my words without first presenting a rambling preface which feels so entirely essential. I have already run amok in Forumland with related posts yet I still wish to say so much here. Most importantly, I suppose... I must note that this is still only a portion of what I wish it to be. It is, as well, a 'continuation' of many prior posts of mine - though an immediately connection does not exist to any of them except to one that might be viewing them 'from the inside', so to speak (as I, of course, am). What follows, then, appropriately enough it seems to me, is but a portion of the journey - in much the same way as the tale of Don Quixote De La Mancha was/is (as I see it) only part of Alonso's life story and Miguel's importance. (Oh and... The line breaks in my piece may, I realize, make it difficult to find the intended rhythm/flow... but it is there for the finding and the breaks exist as they are for reasons it would take forever to explain. And I have, obviously, rambled quite enough already.) ~Snemmy Now then.... For the Love of Windmills I see windmills tilting in your mind - masked giants standing before you like points on a line to mark your direction as you journey forth upon rallying your bravery and revoking remorse. I've heard the mad sounding rambles that you’ve expelled when thought delusional and under Love’s spell – oh! but those visions I have seen myself, shall forever remain your greatest wealth. It matters little what any other being might see if in your own heart you dare to believe that the dreams once dreamt by and for a self will yield fulfillment once fear is felled. Your journey will be epic, my knight as it unfolds – your adventures recorded, your story told, as you endeavor to satisfy a growing need when from the bars that hold you, you have been freed. Reckless alone is an escapade not yet begun and victory has less to do with who won than the mere act of taking that very first step and refusing another day there in the arms of regret. For insanity isn't in seeing things others do not, it is rather in having vision yet acting not – and the true definition of utter defeat is turning back before the ride, once begun, is complete. For the disbelievers, the visionless, the overtly cruel, will someday see as wise the heroic fool who dared to dream and dreamed so well that he let go ‘reality’ and bid all caution farewell. All their tricks and maltreatment and useless complaining having been but the result of their remaining locked in a cage of self construction still unable to see beyond that simple obstruction. Oh! But the key, dear knight, you now hold in your hands and against the majority you’ve taken a stand, readying yourself to move well beyond a hopeless existence where dreams can’t be found. So remember, always, no matter what troubles await, you must eternally trust in this journey of fate – an accepting companion will be there at your side when your heart is your lead and love is your guide. Just over the horizon, in the direction you’re now heading, the sun once again has taken to setting and yet another day ends but dreams never do – they’re waiting, Don Quixote, ever and always for you. Copyright © Silent-No-More ... [ 2006-08-05 13:08:37] (Date/Time posted on site) Advertisments: Previous Posted Poem         | |         Next Posted Poem