Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The Battle of the Flesh

A bitter fruit I pluck and cannot
swallow, two weeks of conscience ended
hollow


I carry a seed of love to grow and
last, murdered alas by swords of
lust


Spring was blossoming beneath my
heart, now carried on my sleeve like fall’s
art


I chose true love to wait like blissful
cheers, failed a thousand times with dry
tears



How will I face the flowers of my
soul, washed anew in pure scarlets of
gold


Shall I torture my weak thorns of
flesh, surrender I shall and put it to

rest

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Guide us in the Dark


O King of Blessed Night,
Send forth your Shining Knight,
To guide and show the way, 
In the dark expose your ray

Monday, September 16, 2013

Love on Lotus

Love on Lotus by Angelina Bong

This is another painting for a friend. Feel free to read more about it on  http://swakgel.blogspot.com/2013/09/love-on-lotus.html


p/s: I am also currently accepting orders for paintings. Feel free to contact me for paintings or artworks that you might like to buy for yourself or as a gift.

A new painting for a friend

Whimsical Tales of Blurarefly by Angelina Bong

I've shared about this post in my other blog. Please click on this link to read more :)

http://swakgel.blogspot.com/2013/09/whimsical-tales-of-blurarefly.html

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

The Battle of the Flesh

A bitter fruit I pluck and cannot
swallow, two weeks of conscience ended
hollow


I carry a seed of love to grow and
last, murdered alas by swords of
lust


Spring was blossoming beneath my
heart, now carried on my sleeve like fall’s
art


I chose true love to wait like blissful
cheers, failed a thousand times with dry
tears



How will I face the flowers of my
soul, washed anew in pure scarlets of
gold


Shall I torture my weak thorns of
flesh, surrender I shall and put it to

rest

Friday, September 6, 2013

FAlling into Winter

It was winter in Perth 2013. I had an awesome reunion with a high school classmate of mine. We have not seen each other probably since the last day of school and I was so happy to bump into her in the airport and what coincidence that we were on the same flight to Perth.

We made plans to meet up and my dear friend and her husband brought me around town. This sweet couple asked me to do a painting for them and I decided to draw my inspiration from our memoirs in Perth.
FAlling into Winter 

We were entering winter but the colours of the leaves were still of Fall with lots of amber, orange, brown and reds. I remembered a beautiful big tree with splashes of reds and maroons where we savoured some exotic vegetarian food at this vegetarian café located at Swan Valley. We were visiting the wineries where we also tasted some splendid wines. I guess you could see by now that the tree that I painted was inspired by this picturesque view captured in my head.

The sky was bright and it felt like summer and that was why I had the background in bright colours. It was also a lively day filled with warm conversations as we catch up.

The highlight of our get together in Perth was bumping into Jersey Boys. After having some cocktails and tapas, my friend decided to check out this jazz bar. Ellington Jazz Club was like a cosy little cavern and there was a stage next to a few tables. People were leaving the club and we could see that the live performances just ended. Since we were already in the bar, we thought we might as well sit back and enjoy some drinks. Little did we know that the ‘Jersey Boys’ performers were coming to have a jamming session.
'Jersey Boys' jamming

We had absolutely no clue till someone from the next table asked us, “How did you know the Jersey Boys were coming here?” We didn’t! We sat listening to them taking turns singing and jamming it up! WOW! It was incredible and possibly one of the best live performances I’ve ever encountered. My personal favourite was the pianist. I was so glad that my friends took me there. We were so inspired by them that we decided to watch them perform the actual musical Jersey Boys. I felt like I was watching Frankie Valli serenading us with ‘Can’t Take My eyes Off You.’ I wish I could watch it again but I already had to leave Perth.

And So…..I had to create this imagery of them as the highlight of the painting but with a more casual and fun attire ;)

If you look closely, you can also see the dotted techniques.  I had been to some galleries in Perth and I saw this technique largely used in the aboriginal artworks of Australia and since this is a memoir of Perth, I’ve decided to incorporate some of that into this piece.
Oh…you can also see my friend and her super-tall 2 metres husband at the corner. They’re the ones this painting was meant to be created. I hope my friend and her dear husband likes it and I hope you enjoy it too.


Adios!

Forgiveness

Golden tears next to my honey of
love, I cry to seek solace in jugs of
soiled water


Fears in pools of painful lies creep
in, worms to poison and infest juices
of grace


No voice to soothe the sore throat in
agony, a piece of lemon to sting the
fresh wounds


I fight to keep streams of pure joy
running, miserably fell into pits of
dark holes


Quit tonight to enemies waiting to
kill, arise again and defend the fount
of life


Pick up the shattered diamonds with
care, drink the cup of forgiveness

and sleep

Pray for Syria and World Peace

Let's join hands, unite, pray and fast for Syria

 and all troubled countries today.

Enough of war and bloodshed!

Let's pray for peace with the rest of the world today!


I want to leave you with a picture. Think of the many innocent children who are like her. There are thousands who will lose families and their homes. Many more losing arms and limbs. Look at the anger and hurt in her eyes. It's haunting me as I have a glimpse of what war and evil can do to a child. Please join us in prayers and fasting today. If nothing else moves you, look at her.

The Afghan Girl by Steve Curry, 1984.

Fall in Love

Sometimes we are so busy trying to discern our vocation or decide the next best move to take that we forgot why we do it and for whom are we doing it.
The reason and sole purpose of life is to love God and when you do, everything else flows. All will naturally take their place.
I want to leave this with you..something for you to ponder on

Fall in Love by Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ (1907 - 1991)


Nothing is more practical than
finding God, than
falling in Love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in Love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything.



God loves you and He's waiting for you.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Dedicated to those struggling from chronic pain: Battle in the Night

I probably posted the poem below before but thought i would do a dedication to my fellow fibromyalgia mates and those struggling from chronic pain.
I wrote this in the middle of the night when i was staying in the hospital when i was in pain from disc herniation and sciatica. My fibromyalgia pains intensified the pain and lyrica could not really help me to sleep that night.
That was last year and I am so much better now. I am off lyrica.
If you're suffering from fibromyalgia, do login to facebook and look for Voices of Fibromyalgia
https://www.facebook.com/voicesoffibromyalgia. You'll be surprised that you are not alone!
Alternatively: here is their blog: http://voicesoffibromyalgia.blogspot.com/

I put my poem there too.

Darkness falls and lights go off 
Nurses still busy past midnight
The dark tunnel amazingly calm
The soul at peace with lyrica

Celebrex soothes roaring nerves
Fibro wakes up now and then
The disc says hello unexpectedly
Sending excited waves all over

Stillness of the night brushes over
An occasional snore stir the silence
Faux drowsiness running through
Buzzing sounds of far emergencies

Lights outside sheds a bright twinkle
Ignoring neverending pokes of pain
Central nervous system likes to joke
Pouring waves of tingle till you cry

Numbness became one's best friend
A new soulmate as close as fibro
Unspoken words shared the cannal
Borderline carpel tunnel syndrome

Muscles and veins dances together
Forming jingles of tap dancing
Weakened arms exhorts a laugh
Expressing turmoil without energy

Alas the dark night is still long
It is a beginning of a new battle
Science and emotions join forces
Shaping warriors of divine strength


Don't give up the battle and you'll emerge a warrior stronger after all those wars you've survived!


Photo taken from Voices of Fibromyalgia