“Ladder of Years”

“Ladder of Years”
Pencil, pastel, and watercolor
2022 or so
NFS
A late conversation with a longtime friend, about a long-gone friend, reminded me of this painting/drawing (always a blurry distinction for me) from ten or more years ago, The ONLY song for it is, of course, by Patti Smith (“Paths That Cross”, which she wrote the year that both her husband and her best friend died; welcome to genuine, varsity-league grief)….the most heartbreaking line I’ve ever heard is her “Rise up/hold the reins…../hold tight, bye-bye..” (and, yes, my father and my partner of twelve years died within a month of each other this past Spring; the matter’s been much on my mind).  GO TO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cln_1lthtC0
“Speak to me
Speak to me heart
I feel a needing
To bridge the clouds
Softly go
A way I wish to know, to know
A way I wish to know, to know……..
Oh you’ll ride
Surely dance
In a ring
Backwards and forwards
Those who seek
Feel the glow
A glow we will all know, will know
On that day
Filled with grace
And the way to heart’s communion
Steps we take
Steps we trace
On the way the heart’s reunion
Paths that cross, will cross again
Speak to me
Speak to me shadow
I spin from the wheel
Nothing at all
Save the need
The need to weave
A silk of souls that whisper whisper
A silk of souls that whisper to me
Speak to me heart
All things renew
Hearts will mend
Round the bend
Paths that cross, cross again
Rise up hold the reins

Oh, me…….I don’t know when…..
We’ll meet again I don’t know when
Hold tight…. bye bye
Paths that cross, will cross again”