Soulprints: The Poetry of Rusty Berkus
Poetry is combined with striking watercolors in a journey of self-discovery, a celebration of an outward heightened social consciousness, and an inward sparring and triumph.
"In every heart lies a poem aching to be born, to echo the deepest sense of self, to transmit in truth the theme of an inner life, for the signature of the soul set down in one's own hand, is poetry." — Rusty Berkus
"POETRY IS THE SOULPRINT OF THE PSYCHE" — Rusty Berkus
Excerpts
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Mothers
Are you listening Mother
can you hear me
I talk to you of dinner tomorrow night
not really thinking of tomorrow night's dinner
I'm thinking of you.
we will sit at the table
a comfortable buffer between us
eating, wiping our mouths
instead of dabbing the tears
for the unsaid words between us.
are you listening Mother
I think you can read my mind
that you know how little I care about dinner
how tasteless life is
without the tender talking that transcends time.
there is still time for us Mother.
perhaps you wished your own Mother
could have read your mind
wanting her to get up from the table
put her heavy arms around you
to hear the tender talking that transcends
time.
I know you can't read my mind
I want you to hear me
listen my Mother, I love you -
Us
strangers
we
by chance
upon this planet met
traded tears and treasures
opened albums
for inspection close
strangers
we
became friends
became beloved friends
loving friends
friends who loved
each other's tears and treasures
thus becoming more
ourselves
then becoming
us -
The New Friend
Daring to be alone in her company
I knew not what to expect -
she bid me very first thing to take leave of
dirty dishes, unmade beds and soiled laundry;
into the full sun of day she pulled me.
oh so loving,
tolerant of whims
sensitive to my every need,
giving me permission
to do just about anything,
pampering me,
expecting nothing in return.
as I dashed across the length of lawn
pretending to be a wild bird,
she clapped;
as I read my poetry, she rewarded my words
with smiles and nods.
to think I might not have dared
to be alone in her company
(against me she could have turned at any moment)
it was boredom, panic and loneliness I had risked, when there she was for me all along
the very best friend in all the world -
myself
Paperback: 62 pages
Publisher: Red Rose Press; First edition. edition (February 1, 1988)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0960988831
ISBN-13: 978-0960988839
Dimensions: 10.8 x 0.2 x 10.5 inches