The Power of Art

Hi and welcome back!


As you already know I love writing. Maybe you've already read my poem "Meant To Dream" which I posted in August. For me writing is like therapy. If I have a problem, if I'm sad or if something just bothers me or is stuck in my head I write about it.


A friend at work loves painting, we started talking about art. When I told her that I write she asked me if she could read some of my texts.
Yesterday we met again and she gave me her feedback on one of the poems I gave her. I won't post it here because it's written in German but I'll tell you about it later.
First she told me that at the beginning she thought it was a real story, my story. That's such a great compliment! That means that it's authentic and real even though it's fiction. That it always what I try to do, I want to create something real, something that people can relate to, something that moves them or makes them think about a certain topic. I guess I did that with this poem, she told me she had trouble not to cry. My words made someone get very emotional.


But why? What was it all about?!
The poem is called "To The End". It's a farewell letter written by a woman who says her last goodbye to her husband. She starts by telling how they met, how she fell in love with him, how blessed she was with him becoming her husband. She describes how happy he made her, how he made her feel.
Then it changes. She tells that the doctor gave her a diagnosis which threw her off track. He gave her strength and hope, he made her feels better no matter how bad it got. She talks about her pain, about how weak she got, about how her pain hurt him, too. He never left her side. She got weaker, she lost her hair, it was a very hard time but he stood by her, he was her strength. She says that she wished for a different outcome, she wanted to grow old with him, to have kids. But the end is near, she can feel it. She tells him not to be too sad about the time they never get but to be thankful for the time they had together, to think about what they gave each other instead of what they lost. She tells him that even though she'll be gone she'll always be with him in a way. He always took care of her and now it's her turn, now she'll be the angel watching over him...



I wrote that poem in summer 2013. My uncle, whom I loved with all my heart, had just died of lung cancer. I was devastated but I tried not to show it, I'm the kind of person who always keeps smiling. I wrote a few poems about/for him during that time, it was my way to get threw it, to handle all those feelings. This was the last one. I made the story up but the emotion is real. It contains the love I had and always will have for my uncle.



Just like music and dance and painting, writing is a kind of art. Often people think that art is only something beautiful to enjoy but it's much more than that. Art can bring back memories, it connencts people, it comforts, motivates and strengthens you. Art can express all those things you don't have the right words for. Art is not only for your eyes to see or for your ears to hear but especially for your heart to feel! Don't underestimate the power of art, it can overwhelm you within seconds...

What about you? Did you ever get overwhelmed by a piece of art? Or are you an artist yourself and got reactions like that? And would you like me to translate my poem into English and post it here? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

With love

Loulou