Simon & Sandoval – August 2023

CLS Sandoval and Julie Simon traded art and words. Julie shared this image, titled “Calla Lily Pt. 2,” with CLS:

In response, CLS wrote this poem:

Calla Lilies Up Close  

From far away
the bride’s black calla lilies
looked pristine  

Untouched
maybe untouchable  

She wore her custom-made black velvet
bell-sleeved
Victorian gown
with the silver trim  

The church was made of
ornate dark wood pews, stairs, and banisters  

The stained glass
depicted more violence
than peace
from the Holy book  

The bride had forgotten her tiara  

Someone went to get it
delaying the walk down the aisle  

She thought it was all she wanted  

A closer gaze may have caught the doubt in her eye
The sweat on her brow
And the sadness in the tips of those calla lilies
Fading ever so slightly  

As the bride stepped toward her future.

* * * * *

CLS shared this poem with Julie:

Eating My Shovel

Rolling in the cold San Diego waves 
the up brings life value 
and the down, maybe not

I eat when I’m depressed, 
when I’m happy,
whenever I self-medicate with coffee and food

So many people say that life is too short
I disagree
Life is so, so long

My hopes for happily ever after 
faded to midnight

Every choice narrowed the prospects
Fewer possibilities now 

I’ve dug too deep 
and the only tool I’ve kept is my shovel. 

In response, Julie made this image, titled “Between the Waves”: