grand canyon

she shared some details

of the road trip with

the teen in a van

not too many intense

infraction type details

it was fill in the blanks

with too much thinking

heart wrenching imagination

like why would two people

in a van driving together

sharing inside secrets and

cheap road food not be

more than she said

playing a players game

of silence and selective

facts believable whether deceivable

or not who could know

she met a native american guide

entering the great grand canyon

already ahead of her hiking

below the entertainer chevy chase

working up his best sweat

"losing weight for a part," he told her

he seemed nice she told me

she, so sun tanned

deeply in pain

followed the guide's instructions

scaling the canyon, seeking and

finding her peace on her own

in shorts and a shirt

a weight loss plan of her own

for that burn in her heart

immune from her lotions

medicines and potions

yet falling away as she scaled

deeper to release the one-hundred-and-ninety

pounds of disappointment

the guide set her free

with a nod for the tip

and when she returned

freedom felt better than the pain

sending her away again

without the boy

without me

free.

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No Brain No Anxiety

We didn't have a garage, our neighbors, the Amy's did. Reverend Amy and his family lived next door. That is me sitting on the Chevy, wearing a Davy Crocket hat. I was a big Davy Crocket fan and had the theme song on a yellow 45 rpm record, which of course I sang to vigorously. What's your earliest memory from childhood? No Brain No Anxiety -- collage by Douglas Brent Smith, 1998, from Journal #33, Life In Progress

Collage: The Trill Is On

Deep Thinker Thinking

Deep Thinker Thinking, drawing by douglas Brent smith, December 2001, from Journal #35, Mission Control, Volume Two, 2001 - 2002. Drawing helps me think. Thinking, sometimes, draws me to draw. It amazes me how few adults draw at all. Somewhere along the line in childhood they just stopped. We should all draw more and more often. Pencil, pen, crayon, whatever you've got. Instead of scrolling tonight, spend that time drawing a picture. Instead of wasting your time and feeling bad about it you've have a picture you can feel good about. It doesn't have to be great, it just has to be yours.

about you

something sincere about you nurtures honesty open; childlike, free so few ever knew such fearless listening something warm about you presses the passion in me with clenching senses, loving exceeding even love something radiant within you soothingly sends comfort assurance, confidence, calm distinctively grounded with you only you so much special in total about you levels beyond my understanding but firmly with the grasp of my appreciation and wonder and awe not on a pedestal something removed from any gaze unassailably you douglas brent smith

Miniature

i became aware of the poetry of existance and of the artistry of her voice of her thin, gentle fingers and the honesty of her eyes 1973

Creating on Illusion

Creating on Illusion - collage by Douglas Brent Smith Where's the illusion? What sleight of hand do we focus on? I think that I made this collage in 1989. That was so long ago and yet, in terms of illusions, not long at all. What do you think?

Analog Stereo Here We Go

Analog Stereo Here We Go - collage by douglas brent smith, from the journal Cutups, 1979

one night at the wayside

"i saw your sister down at the Wayside cutting chances into glances like she was the original midnight dancer, understand?" "that may be true but she ain't been seen with you..." "my choice fella gotta whole lotta other visions on my mind this rocky eve, if you know what i mean..." "no kidding, i'm skidding on outta here before those two a.m. mayhem stratagems force their fire down my throat but catch this Mr. Bliss -- you keep your face away from my sister, mister..." "oh now, just ain't you too baaaaaaad?" -- douglas brent smith

Mustard Seed Theatre Company Logos

Notes: Peter, Harry, and I started a little touring theatre company we called the Mustard Seed Theatre Company. We had very limited success for an all too brief amount of time. I later revived the name at churches in Chicago, and I'm sure that any search would uncover other theatre companies bearing that name, but we loved it while we proudly wore it on our t-shirts. These sketches are modest attempts at logos. circa 1977-1978

douglas brent smith

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