It’s not enough to be nice in life. You’ve got to have nerve.
Homage to Georgia O’Keeffe
To be nice — is it not an act performed?
An outward manifestation on a stage called society.
Yet there’s more, so much beneath the surface,
Beneath those smiles we offer to strangers.
Niceity without courage fails in purpose,
I stand here and I declare:
It’s not enough just being kind;
You have got to leap into life bravely.
Inside your heart, find that nerve lying dormant,
Awaken it from slumber deep within you
With strong hands reaching out for genuine contact
See me now as I am: raw yet resilient -
Speaking ‘I’ instead of ‘we’, yes this can mean power!
Not selfishness but strength lies therein; feel its importance.
Embrace passion like red embers in ash-gray winter,
Kindle warmth amidst cold indifference around us —
Look beyond hollow pleasantries exchanged perfunctorily.
Yes even when they waver or quake under fears weight…
Hear my call: You are stronger than trembling leaves before storm.
Resilience resides within every fiber of who you are!
Go forth bringing bravery wrapped neatly inside compassion-
Unwrapping these gifts may shake foundations….
A risk worth taking though tremors may awaken…
For isn’t true connection found only through open hearts?
And opening requires breaking sometimes…
Facing fear head-on lends steeliness to soft-spoken words;
Even if voices wobble
The title quote is from Georgia O’Keeffe.
While Georgia O’Keeffe is primarily known for her contributions to the world of visual arts, her work has inspired many poets who have written poems in response to her paintings or about her life.
Some examples of poetry inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe include:
“A Poem for Georgia O’Keeffe” by Penn Kemp, inspired by O’Keeffe’s painting “Red Canna”
“Red Hills and Bones” by Laura Kasischke, inspired by the painting of the same name
These poems often focus on the themes and subjects present in O’Keeffe’s work, such as the beauty of nature, the importance of observation, and the power of artistic expression.
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