1985_ColorPencil_Drawing by Carol Hershey

7_14_2008_1985_ColorPencil_Drawing_Poem by Betina Hershey

The feelings are packed tight
Into the neck:
The easy, blistering butterfly, the growing glass boxes,
The thick, warm blood, all tilted and squeezed in,
Not sure whether to burrow further down
Or to climb back up into the murky sun.

------------------------------------------ Go to A Closer Look for a bigger view of just the art.

1987_WaterColor1 by Carol Hershey

July_15_2008_1987_WaterColor1_Poem
by Betina Hershey

Underneath the earth
There is a city
Of water, stars, veins, little farmers.
Above, there is grass, there are fire-shoots,
Skies blazing from over-exertion,
Blushing deep scarlet.

Underneath our marriage
There is a city
Of two juicy souls and two brittle minds merging,
Clanging, breaking, caressing and swelling.
Above, there are harsh words
And then jiggling hugs and tender glances,
There is music and laughter and rushing
And our cheeks blazing from over-exertion,
Blushing deep scarlet.

July_15_2008_1987_WaterColor1_Poem_2 by Betina Hershey

Tattoos line his warrior mask
The mouth opens in a howl that calls galaxies.
Ants crawl into formations,
Ears droop from the heaviness of it all.
There are dreams woven atop his head
And the earth doubles itself
So that he can wave from his own nostril
Out at the bright red chord connecting him
To the belly of the sun, the belly of all blood.
His eyes are slits, squinting from the last battle
And his ears open like morning glories,
So delicately eager to sample the delicacies
Of the day.

--------------------1987_ColorPencil_Drawing by Carol Hershey

 7/16/08_1987_ColorPencil_Drawing_Poem by B.H.

Find a cozy spot
Slumped on the banks
Of someone’s shoulder
Wearing beads around your waist
And letting the frizz of your hair
Twirl towards the ground

The sun is there, surrounded by blues
Of every shade
I see your princess hat mirrors the sun.
Your lips are full
And your eyes gaze out with such
Gloriously haughty complacency.

The bedraggled boink-burk
Is peeking up like a snail,
Hair swooping down the long neck,
Nose encircling the sun’s outline

I balance an egg bigger than myself
On my knees
And hope that it will bear fruit

Curl up inside

A family dream, a cozy spot, a world
 Of our own

1986+_ColorPencil_Drawing7 - Carol Hershey

 7/16/08_1986+_ColorPencil_Drawing7_Poem     by Betina Hershey 

The breeze is on fire
The fire shoots up and becomes an a hoola-hoop
Of air

Behind the campfire, a cool blue pod,
An alien space ship
A seed sprouting

Here we have a lonely world
Lone seed, lone fire
And yet, how cozily they co-exist

I am the cluster of particles nestling together
That light bounces off of
Leaving behind the blue/green tint you see

We fill every space
With the hum of touching

7/16/08_1986+_ColorPencil_Drawing7_Poem_2     by Betina Hershey

“Hey, you -
Warm me up, big ball of fire!” says the blue pod.

“Why so cold?  Let your greens down!  Live a little.”
Says the fire.

“Wee!  And away we go!”

“Mmmmm.”

-------------1994_ColorPencil_Drawing1 by Carol Hershey 

7/17/08_1994_ColorPencil_Drawing1_Poem by Betina

The cell is a miracle - Nuclei, tendrils, DNA strands, so many messages - Oozing, meandering, systematically splitting in two.
Science can only display so much.  The cell is a glorious world unto itself. It is as plentiful as any universe, even more full.
 

1988_WaterColor1 by Carol Hershey------------------------------

7/18/08_1988_WaterColor1_Poem1 by Betina

The garlic is planted
The rain comes in torrents
Below ground there is a cozy collection
Of doors, raked land, roads, and eggs
The gigantic garlic is nestled in
Next to others of its kind
Quite content

7/18/08_1988_WaterColor1_Poem2 by Betina

I haven’t left the house
All day
I’m hungry
But rooted
To my hibernation/soil/rain-upon-me-indoors
Phase

What will I have for diner?
All that is left
Is pasta and
Garlic

Delicious 

1985_ColorPencil_Drawing2 by C.H.

7/19/08_1985_ColorPencil_Drawing2_Poem by Betina

The hand reaches down.
I lift my big nose and my bugged-out eyes
Up.
Someone’s up there
Coming at me
With a hand like a gigantic catcher’s mitt.
My heart rises, glowing red, slipping out
Of my body, hovering
Between chest and chin.
Do I want to be caught today?
I suddenly notice -
I am falling.

7/19/08_1985_ColorPencil_Drawing2_  Poem2 by Betina

When we married
We both put on the rings
And our hands turned into catchers mitts.
Sometimes you are the hand up in the top left corner
Coming down swiftly from out of the blue and white sky
To catch my heart and put it back into my body.
And sometimes you are the one falling backwards,
Crushed again, heart lodged between chest and chin,
While I rush down towards you,
Tempted to throw the ball and tag the guy out on first,
But knowing I’ll gently scoop you and your heart up
Like we always do.

7/21/08_ 1986_ColorPencil_Drawing8_Poem2 by Betina

Nice little blue-eyed mouse
A little cross-eyed
While peering down that funny string.

He’s wearing his velveteen top-hat
Proudly.
If the cat comes
He’ll squeeze back through
The dark brown hole
That leads home

How wonderful to be surrounded
By the freshest yellow cheese.

7/21/08_ 1986_ColorPencil_Drawing8_Poem1 by Betina

The lima bean
Sits in her lazy chair,
Three baby beans glowing blue
In her belly,
Reading the Dirt News.
Behind her is a heating-bean
Waiting to be her pillow.
All around - a golden glow.
She is happy today.

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