Wednesday morning

[REVISED]

Thinking about things:

And to think the bear with his bird companion has already stepped beyond the road.

"The Exquisite Sketchbook"

cover drawing by Irina Troitskaya

This is what the cover of the journal I have been writing in of late looks like.

I like this artist's portrayal of companionship and camaraderie. At least this is what I think this portrait shows.

[CAMARADERIE: mutual trust and friendship among people [and, by my account, animals] who spend a lot of time together.]

This idea of mutual trust is a good one to think about. Especially for someone like me. I see this kind of trust here in this artist’s rendering of the bear and the bird—in the way the bird balances herself upon the bear and the bear holds her up with just the right amount of concern. It must be that the bear provides safety for the bird and in turn, the bird offers far-sightedness for their protection. Especially in their current situation, which, by all accounts, calls for deft consideration: they do appear to have traveled a bit beyond/off the road.

[Just so you know, this scene reminds me of Gorey’s drawing of the Veiled Bear who offers a cookie to the young poet I wrote about a while back.]

And even so, there is more to be said about the trees without their leaves and the turquoise sky with star-like branches dancing about. Once again, companionship and camaraderie here where the sky touches the land.

And, what about the burnished road with paw prints and tree shadows that ends so very abruptly. Are there hidden steps leading to an ancient switchback trail that might shepherd the companions somewhere known only to them? Yes, I would answer. And I think once there, they will find a tenacious meadow that might be filled with white Corn Lilies that only bloom sometimes in the spring. And a stream or two for some needed refreshment. Companionship and camaraderie for sure.

***

[I think there might be more say about this bear and bird.]