Art by Ellie Harold from “Birds Fly In: A Human Refuge Project”
They are raven-like, dark-winged
moving toward a tangled nest
or like crows circling
seeking their own kind
against a fog-ivory sky the outline
is interleaved with comings
and goings
birds-eye cries
flybys
of brush-wings
odors from mud
hush-hush
swigs
of
frenzied red
but now, as I stop and sit, the painting becomes
light-blue sprigs nuzzling
rough-edged gaps
amid the white silence
and I see
the birds are skylarks
making merry
and beyond
the framework
where joy flies on
Cheryl Heineman
What is the significance of this work to you?
This poem is significant to me, because it reflects how I inject myself into works of art. My initial take on the painting by Ellie Harold, "Birds Fly In" was depressing, with dark, scary birds emerging from the background, but later they would be transformed into birds of joy. This poem is part of an exhibition "Birds Fly In, a Human Refuge," a look at the sorrows as well as hopes of refugees. In the exhibition, there is a place for the viewer to sit, listen to music, and contemplate the paintings. The viewer is given pen and paper to record emotions in reaction to the exhibit.
What is the significance of the form you chose for this work?
I wanted the form to reflect flight's movement and the change in my interpretation of the painting.
What was your process for creating this work?
I started with my first take of the painting: the poem being a reflection of my own depressive shadow, but then as I sat with the painting, I saw more and more light and realized not all dark is negative, but rather holds joy within, waiting to be released. So, the poem evolved from dark to light.
Cheryl Heineman graduated in 2017 with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from San Diego State University. She also has a master’s degree in Jungian Psychology and has published three collections of poetry: Just Getting Started, something to hold onto, and It’s Easy to Kiss a Stranger on a Moving Train.
