but there is always another side–
the one that is in our face seems real
because we see it—the details,
the form of its existence–
but what of the side we do not see,
what of the one that looks
in a different direction? the one not
evident, not the same? the one
we must be careful not to leave behind?
As usual, Brendan at earthweal gave me a lot to think about in this week’s challenge post. His question–What does it meant to be open, unbounded, united and free in an enclosed world?–made me immediately think of this verse Woody Guthrie wrote in “This Land is Your Land”.
As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said “No Trespassing”
But on the other side it didn’t say nothing
That side was made for you and me
which was the inspiration for my poem.
The late great Sharon Jones sings it like it is.
Also linking to dVerse OLN, hosted by Ingrid.
K. 
“But what of the side we do not see?” Exactly! Humans tend to see what is right in front of our faces – but “there is a larger landscape than the one we see” and if we could see it, perhaps our vision would expand widely enough to find some answers.
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Thanks Sherry–that’s exactly right.
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This art is wonderful! The poem made me thing of Stranger Things and the Upside Down…
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Thanks Muri. It’s always good when my words lead the reader to other associations. (K)
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You chose a great starting point for your poem, Kerfe, and your words resonate strongly with me.
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Thanks Ingrid. Your love of the land definitely resists boundaries.
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The art is beautifully expressive. Such sad, knowing eyes. I wonder if there are only two sides. There might be hundreds, thousands, but our imagination stops at two, the seen and the unseen. You’ve brought out a simple truth in this one.
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Thanks Jane. I agree. There are many other ways of knowing. We impose our own limits.
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Like the octopus and colours, we only see a very limited amount of what’s there.
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“but there is always another side–”
So true! And beautiful art, too. Like Jane, I wonder how many sides there are. Our senses are so limited–even when it’s the obvious, like the other side of a sign.
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Thanks Merril–it’s true. We limit our senses by defining them. In many ways they are beyond words.
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That is also true.
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This piece is full of clarity, an excellent little scalpel to the congested and two-dimensional nature of our collective vision–and the Guthrie line is perfect, as so much of his work is, in its truth and simplicity. As always, the art enhances the idea. A pleasure to read.
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Thanks. We need Woody’s spirit now more than ever.
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Beautiful interpretation. 🙂 Great artwork!
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Thanks Kitty.
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A haunting poem, a question posed, one to come back to….JIM
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Thanks Jim. I am always asking the same questions in different ways.
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That concept reminds me of the daoist one of the use of uselessness. The emptiness of a vessel is where you find the usefulness. Woody was a sharp guy. I like the artwork you use to represent the concept.
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Thanks Jade. Yes he was.
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You’re welcome, K.
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Perfect. Totally perfect!
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Thanks Susan.
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when did we lose empathy, as a nation? when did ‘our’ lose to ‘mine’?
the 2nd image especially looks like an eye to me, and the stitches might be tear tracks or wrinkles – a memory of the seen writ on the face of the see-er. the seer. perhaps the eye of your Oracle, even. ~
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It’s hard to pinpoint exactly, but I feel like this brazen greed did not exist when I began my adulthood 50 years ago. No one I knew had the ambition to be rich, or worshipped at the altar of capitalism. I do remember being told in my 30s that I was no longer middle class because I didn’t own anything…that would have been the 80s. That may be when it started.
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