“Santa Claus” | Anthony Satori
Shine your light, give of your heart, and, most of all, be kind to one another… and to yourself. Because, in the quiet of the night, as we lay our heads to sleep, this is all that really matters.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
“La Vie En Rose” | Anthony Satori
“The richness of the world is always available to the poet.”
— Goethe
“Who’s That Little Mouse?” | Anthony Satori
(Me up at does)
— a poem by E. E. Cummings
“Me up at does
out of the floor
quietly Stare
a poisoned mouse
still who alive
is asking What
have i done that
You wouldn’t have”
Although quite poignant, I’ve always appreciated this poem by E. E. Cummings. I think it is a fine example of his remarkable economy of language, his touching sense of empathy, and his unmistakable signature style: a seemingly mixed-up, punctuation-free stagger of words which, upon closer inspection, actually turns out to be a carefully constructed poetic flow of thoughts and ideas. Like a lot of great art, Cummings’ poetry isn’t spoon-fed to the viewer. It requires effort and attention. But, in the end, it is always worth the journey.
Quite fortunately, the little mouse in the image above was destined for a more happy fate than the mouse in Cummings’ verse. A couple of nights ago, while we languished in a Tryptophan-induced haze, this little fellow took us completely by surprise by scampering across the interior of a ceiling light fixture. Following his spry shadow, I slid the lamp shade aside and revealed a tiny gray mouse huddled in a corner. As soon as we saw his earnest little face, we knew that we had to devise a plan of rescue. We named him “Buford.” He graciously posed for a portrait. Then, after some careful thought and planning, we proceeded to use a combination of kitchen implements, a folding chair, and some gentle coaxing to safely retrieve him from the ceiling fixture. For his bravery, he was treated to some Thanksgiving leftovers. What a feast! Then, with a full belly and an unbelievable story to tell, we released him into the night. Godspeed, Buford. And Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
“The Sphere of the Soul” | Anthony Satori
“The sphere of the soul remains faithful to its form… when it shines forth with a steady light by which it sees the truth of all things and the truth within itself.”
— Marcus Aurelius
“Abandoned Car” | Anthony Satori
“You’re going to pass something down no matter what you do, or if you do nothing. Even if you let yourself go fallow, the weeds will grow and the brambles. Something will grow.”
— John Steinbeck
Deliberately envision how you wish your world to look, and then take thoughtful, focused action toward that result. Choose to make the world a more beautiful place. Choose to make it a more peaceful, free and compassionate place. Be an active agent of light.
“Serenity” | Anthony Satori
“Words exist because of meaning. Once you’ve gotten the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find someone who has forgotten words? This is who I wish to speak with.” — Chuang Tzu
When someone tunes out the noise of the outer world, allows their thoughts to become still and calm, and immerses themselves in the experience of a work of art, they are speaking with someone who has “forgotten” words. This is because art exists in a mode that goes beyond mere language, reaching directly into the realm of pure meaning.
“Horse Soul” | Anthony Satori
“I see something of God each hour of the twenty-four, and each moment then.”
— Walt Whitman
“Dandelion” | Anthony Satori
“Nothing is worth more than this day.”
— Goethe
“The Sound of Water” | Anthony Satori
“The sound of water says what I think.”
— Chuang Tzu
“Warm Summer Night” | Anthony Satori
“I have perceiv’d that to be with those I like is enough, to stop in company with the rest at evening is enough, to be surrounded by beautiful, curious, breathing, laughing flesh is enough… I do not ask any more delight, I swim in it as in a sea.”
— Walt Whitman
Satori Circle | Art & Culture 