This blog is many things, perhaps it's only one thing.If it is one thing I hope it is honest,to a certain degree, but in a good way.I hope it is more kind than it is cruel.
Three people may look at a Rose, one may see nothing but beauty, one will notice the greenfly and the third see only the thorns.
In all honesty there is no such universal thing as a rose, or anything in this world.No accepted fact or truth or reality, everything we see is a reflection of ourselves.So everything is different to every individual.
Money seems to rule the world.If Iam beautiful, how can I profit from it,If I am clever, how can I profit from it, If I can sing, how can I profit from it, If I can kick a ball skillfully, how can I profit from it, if I can paint,how can I profit from it, if I can write , how can I profit from it?
They say virtue is it's own reward.I'm beginning to believe that talent, also, is it's own reward.
I've spent most of my life doing soul destroying shitty jobs that I hated.I got a wage packet , rightly so, for each and every one of them. I never, ever, saw that as being paid. I saw it as compensation, and poor compensation at that, for wasting my hours, my days, my life.
They say money is the route of all evil. I say poverty does a pretty good job too. I say that those who are gifted a talent are the lucky ones, the ones that can see a rose as a rose.I say that their talent is worth more than it's weight in gold, it gives them a chance to live a better life, if not a wealthier one.
And yet all they cry for is money.
Poets, musicians, artists.
Vincent Van Gough lived in poverty, a tragedy. That is wrong.Would money have eased his burden? Possibly, but I doubt it. Would it have made him a better artist? No way!
What is more of a tragedy to my eyes, more wrong, is that his art is worth millions now. That's totally ridiculous, obscene.
There is no money in poetry.People wail about it, I rejoice in it.If you write poetry in any kind of earnest manner it's because you need to, not because you want to. Money would ruin poetry.
How do I know? I know because the few poets that do make money,win nonsensical prizes, bore me to tears.
TFE's opinions are amorphous , a moveable feast, a thinking out loud, looking for an echo, constantly changing, blowin in the wind, I'm learning what I think.Tomorrow it may all be different.
What do you believe, today?
27 comments:
Interesting post Peadar. I remember feeling real anger when Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers sold for £25million. He had to rely on his brother to buy him paints and food - maybe if his work had sold while he was still alive his life would have been easier. As for footballers and popstars 'earning' so much - it's obscene.
I belive today that I know a little bit more than I did yesterday but not as much as I will tomorrow. I believe that humanity for all it's faults is at it's very core good. I believe that we all need to slow down and take things much slower. That's today as you so rightly point out tomorrow well that could be entirely different
Hear, hear! No money in this corner, by the way.
I would say, fecking eloquently put! You're about spot on with everything there. I watched 'the view' there lately, with david grey being interviewed. Not only did he come across as a nice bloke, but, he spoke honestly about the music business and creativity. His latest album, he said, he could never have made without the fortunes he made from white ladder etc. He brought his own studio, employed the sound engineers he wanted, musicians he selected, and had the financial stability to be able to take his sweet time indulging his creativity. Poverty is inspiration in it's own right, but imagine what an artist could achieve if all the rest of the mundane survival bollocks was sorted! Imagine, if every one of us lot, had the capabilities to dive, whole heartedly into our potentials... (all right, some of us would spunk it on drink, fags and illegal substances.. but the chance would be there) :-D
ooh.. and I just had a brilliant idea for a prompt for the bus.. you still looking for drivers?
:-D
I believe you. And I think you're very right... but I also think sometimes that I wouldn't mind concentrating on doing the nice things that I like more and wasting life on meaningless things less, and if i need to make money off them (the nice things) to be able to do them more often then fine the goal is to make money off them, to allow me to do them more... or at least to do the other soul destroying real work stuff less, but it is a fascinating question alright, in that being comfortable, not having to struggle in some way could be very damaging to the meaningful stuff...
If the poetry bus mag turns into a worldwide multibillion euro supersuccess and poetry gets to be the new silicon valley or top of the pops - what would you do?
Well, there's money & then there's MONEY--& I think you're talking about the latter. There will never be MONEY in poetry, but that doesn't mean that artists shouldn't reasonably expect some sort of remuneration for their work. I sell books, as do other poets; when I perform as a musician I welcome some form of remuneration--& I've received everything from fairly substantial grant money to eggs. So, fwiw worth, I think that's a distinction that needs to be drawn.
Aside from food, clothing and shelter, money is an inadequate way to stop time.
I write regularly about what I do and don't believe...it changes all the time...sometimes I believe very little, other times I spill over with belief! Enjoyed the post - very much. Passion, as ever, is the thing.
x
All I know is that I just hit my head on the corner of an open window and I saw stars. It HURTS! Was that reality? Yes, to me it was.
Each of us perceives our universe through our unique physiology and historicity. What we do with that information is crucial to our achieving happiness as we continue to learn and contribute to this human experience.
Personally, I think the entire world would be better off if we relied on the barter system of exchange.
Yes.
But then, I change my mind too. And have breadhead moments when looking at large precious stones and Chrysler 300s.
Money and poetry, eh?
Poets, musicians, artists... Speaking as a musician who manages to make a living from teaching and performing all I can say is I don't "want money" more than the next person. I just want a living wage like everybody else and, like everybody else, won'ty complain if I find I'm doing quite well. It's not realistic to expect to make your fortune. And Monday morning still feels pretty rough, even if you're doing what you like doing most!
As Ian Hunter (of Mott the Hoople) said:
"The next time you see your rising idol roaring down the road in his Jensen, think twice. He's probably got it on HP, he's probably up to his ears in debt and he probably ain't got the price of a pint in his pocket. Mind you, if you do hit the jackpot . . . like the Moody Blues, Jethro Tull, the Rolling Stones, ELP [Emerson, Lake and Palmer] and Yes have done, there's no doubt about it. You'll live in luxury for the rest of your life. But every time I see a hairy carefully unloading his Marshall stack out of a battered Transit van, I can't help thinking the chances are getting longer every year."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jun/25/mott-hoople-ian-hunter-diary
Money and poetry, eh?
Poets, musicians, artists... Speaking as a musician who manages to make a living from teaching and performing all I can say is I don't want money as such more than the next person. I just want a living wage like everybody else and, like everybody else, won'tycomplain if I find I'm doing quite well. It's not realistic to expect to make your fortune. And Monday morning still feels pretty rough, even if you're doing what you like doing most!
As Ian Hunter (of Mott the Hoople) said:
"The next time you see your rising idol roaring down the road in his Jensen, think twice. He's probably got it on HP, he's probably up to his ears in debt and he probably ain't got the price of a pint in his pocket. Mind you, if you do hit the jackpot . . . like the Moody Blues, Jethro Tull, the Rolling Stones, ELP [Emerson, Lake and Palmer] and Yes have done, there's no doubt about it. You'll live in luxury for the rest of your life. But every time I see a hairy carefully unloading his Marshall stack out of a battered Transit van, I can't help thinking the chances are getting longer every year."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jun/25/mott-hoople-ian-hunter-diary
I went on at length. Re-reading your post I decided I could have been more succinct. You say "I'm beginning to believe that talent, also, is it's own reward." True. To which I'd add: and if you find you're making a living -or even part of your living from it, so much the better.
Speaking of music in particular, there are reasons to try and make money. People these days days often hold down two or three part time jobs at the same time. Years ago people who couldn't (or didn't know how to) "make it" simply set aside their talents to get on with a humdrum, full-time job. Life, sadly is less secure these days. However, people in a similar position today who have the ability can try to make their music one of their several jobs and a portion of their living from doing gigs.
I don't want money per se either. Ok, if I won the lotto it'd be useful but, like others have said here, I just want a living wage. Now, I'd LOVE to earn my crust from my songs/writing but, apart from a couple of stints at busking years ago, I've never made a penny off them and almost certainly never will. I'm not that good, not that driven, not that lucky and it's a buyer's market out there. I'm just pleased to be able to share my stuff with a few like-minded folks out here in blogland.
What do I believe today Peader?
Well i believe that you have only one life and you must live it to the full - in your own way. 'To thine own self be true' is the only important thing. As for money - my view is that as long as you have enough to get by then what does it matter. What makes me furious is the way money is miappropriated - e.g. money given to Haiti. To some people money is god - and they are poorer for that view, in my opinion.
Fuckin' A, TFE! Well said! I couldn't have said it better myself. I've been writing poetry since I was 14 and will write until the day I die. For the joy of words, I write, and the pleasure it gives me. Blessings!!
today I believe that this is a well-written post with a bit a wisdom in it.
How refreshing to find somebody who understands that creativity has its own rewards, simply in the creating! Priceless!
Very thought provoking. Had lots of things I wanted to say, but can't seem to say any of them clearly. I don't know anyone who expects to earn money from writing poetry, tho - they just want to write it, and they want it to be good, and maybe sometimes they want a bit of recognition for it.
But writing has made a lot of shitty jobs bearable for me, just by being there, bubbling away in the background.
you left me very depressed, because like many I wish to earn a basic living doing something that matters to me. but on reflection is it not simply a privilege of the intelligentsia to think that they should be allowed to support themselves by their inborn talent. the vast majority of people on the planet survive on soul destroying hard slog for which they are invariable poorly compensated for their time, on the back of which the capitalist system makes it's profits. Footballers and pop stars only make the money they do because someone else out there is making even bigger profits out of them. it is all relative. now have to go back to hiding under the blankets (some bloody fly keeps landing on me and waking me up). I like the way you really do write the contents of your head.
much love
martine
I believe we are all going to hell one way or another. so it is better not to linger on unimportant things while we`re still here.
I believe in your talent, Peadar. I believe in the right and the freedom to write what I like. I believe in discovering one's talents and enjoying them to the fullest extent. I believe we all need affirmation. It's one of the reasons I post my poetry on my blog and read it at poetry readings: so I will have the sense of community with other people who need the same thing. You are wonderful, Eegit.
Thanks for all your comments, for taking time to post them.
I'm too stupid, fed-up, drunk to make any meaningful reply.Apologos.Deep black has descended.
Thanks for all your comments, for taking time to post them.
I'm too stupid, fed-up, drunk to make any meaningful reply.Apologos.Deep black has descended.
i find myself broadly in agreement. but i'm only going to say it once...
i beLIEve iN The BLooD oF JESUS_CHRIST†
^ --> iT washeD awaY mY SiN....†
(i reaD BloGs tO remembeR whaT liFe uSed to be liKe)
{{yoU haVe a waY wiTh worDs=verY iNteResTiNg}
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