The paw of time

My friend Simone sent me a link to an unusual online art exhibit.  There is a certain charm to these simple watercolors, “made anonymously in India (especially in Rajasthan) by practitioners of Tantrism.”

After looking through them, I was moved especially by The Paw of Time. It seemed so intuitively accurate to me.

I wrote about it, and sent my friend the poem. After some back and forth and her excellent edits, here it is.

The Paw of Time

when I finally discerned
the crude paw shape,
heavy and inhuman,
its smooth edges without malice
its force irresistible
I recognized it
right away

—————

Simone herself is an amazing artist whose work I’ve been enjoying for decades. She regularly posts her photographs on Facebook.  Maybe she’ll comment with her Facebook ID, so you can friend her and see them.