the GoldenVerse of Pythagoras

Interpreted by Althea Northage-Orr
Pay honor first to the Immortal Gods,
As order hath established Their Choirs;
Reverence the Oath,
The Heroes great and good
Revere thou next,
and earth’s good Geniuses, paying honor as are due.
Honor thy parents and thy next of kin;
Of others – make the Virtuous thy friends;
yeild to their gentle word, their timely acts,
nor for a petty fault take back your love.
Bear what thou canst;
Power cometh at one’s need.
Know this for truth, and learn to conquer theses:
Thy belly first, sloth, luxury and rage.
Do nothing base with others or alone;
and above all things, thine own self respect.
Next practice justice in thy word and deed
and learn to act unreasonably in naught;
but know that all must die.
wealth comes and goes—
Of ills the Goddess Fortune gives to us
bear meekly thy lot,
nor grieve at it,
but cure it as thou canst.
Remember this:
Fate gives the least of evil to the Good.
Many the reasonings that on our ears fall,
both good & bad..
admire not all of such,
nor shun them neither.
If one speaks false be calm.
And practice ever this that I now say:
let no one’s word or deed seduce thee
to do or say, nothing not in thy best good.
First think, then act,
Lest foolish be thy deed.
Unhappy are those who thoughtless act and speak.
And that which vexes do not do,
Do nothing you do not understand;
and learn to love what is good,
then sweet will be thy life.
Nor should you your body’s health neglect,
But give it food and drink
and exercise in measure,
that is, to cause it no distress.
Decent without van show thy way of life;
By unmeet expenses like one who envious make
Nor niggard be: In all the Mean is best.
Do that which cannot harm thee.
When first thou doth from soothing sleep uprise
Hasten about thy day’s intended work;
Nor suffer sleep to fall on thy soft lids
Till thrice thou hast each act of the day recalled.
How have I sinned? What done?
What duty misses?
Go through them first to last,
And if they seem good rejoice,
If evil, reproach thyself.
Toil at and practice this: this must thou love,
This to the path of Heavenly Virtue leads.
By the One who gave us the Tetractys to our soul.
Fount of Eturnal Nature this I swear; begin thy work,
first having prayed to the Gods to accomplish it.
Thou, having mastered this,
That essence of God and mortal men shalt know
Which all things permeates and all obey.
And thou shalt know that Law have established
the inner nature of all things alike.
And thou shalt know for what cannot be,
Nor aught that is impossible shall escape thee.
Thou shalt know
Self - chosen are the woes that fall us.
How wretched! For we see not good so near
Nor hearken to its voice – few only know the pathways of Deliverance from Ill!
For Fate doth blind us all,
who up and down,
with countless woes are carried by her wheel,
and bitter strife companions us
and does us secret harm.
Provoke it not, O Humans!
But only yield and in yielding find escape.
O Father Zeus, t’would free from countless ills
Did thou but show what Genius works in each!
But courage! We are the children of the Gods,
and sacred Nature all things hid reveals.
And if the Mysteries have part in thee
thou shall prevail in all bade thee do,
and thoroughly cured,
shall save thy soul from toil.
Eat not the foods prescribed,
And use discretion in lustral rites
And the freeing of thy soul.
Establish high that soul
that best of chairoteers.
and if at length, leaving behind thy body
thus dost come to the free Upper Air,
then shalt thou be
deathless,
divine,
a mortal one no more.

the Pittsburgh International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival

"homophobia is contagious & homosexuality is not!"

me, my, i all in lower case…
like the icon the fed me reason
rae, susan hayword in "back street"
the arist… the lover… my ideal—
a quiet artist, silent in the corner
sketching in shades of grey…
all eleven—manga or a portrait
or pen & ink with acrylic coloured eyes
on vibrant scrapbook paper
here i am… "touch me, see me, feel me—"
as the pin ball wizard would sing
in silent verses going unheard
can’t you hear my harmonies
against the womyn that influenced me
no GAY icon for me.
i was born too soon…
always a preemie
who lasts too long in a fuck
too eager, sucking the cream
from gods and man
rimming, rimming the eager rosebuds
i shot out of the closet at age 4 or 5
"i had a dream, grams
that i went off to a castle
with a knight
and made babies
living happily ever after."
"but two guy can not have babies, cammie."
"so we’ll adopt a japanese!"
a world traveler
a quiet artist quietly sketching
plucking the strings on my harp
singing silent harmonies
against the verge of life
the cries of life
that swallows you up
and spits you out
in--
lower case letters
c a m e r o n

sketches of DANTE 10-10-08

Bacchus's Vine, an Old English Poem

To Anacreon in Heav'n, where he sat in full glee,
A few Sons of Harmony sent a petition;
That he their Inspirer and Patron wou'd be;
When this answer arrived from the Jolly Old Grecian;
"Voice, Fiddle, and Flute,No longer be mute,
I'll lend you my name and inspire you to boot,
And besides I'll instruct you like me, to intwine,
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine.

"The news through Olympus immediately flew;
When Old Thunder pretended to give himself airs.
If these Mortals are suffered their scheme to pursue,
The Devil, a Goddess, will stay above stairs.
"Hark", Already they cry,"In transports of joy,
Away to the Sons of Anacreon we'll fly.
And besides I'll instruct you like me, to intwine,
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

"The Yellow-Haired God and his nine lusty Maids,
From Helion's banks will incontinent flee,
Idalia will boast but of tenantless Shades,
And the bi-forked hill a mere desert will be.
My Thunder no fear on't,Shall soon do it's errand,
And damme I'll swing the Ringleaders I warrant,
I'll trim the young dogs, for thus daring to twine,
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine.

"Apollo rose up and said, "Pry'thee ne'er quarrel,
Good sing of the Gods with my Vot'ries below:
Your Thunder is useless"--then showing his laurel,
Cry'd "Sic evitable fulmen' you know!
Then over each head My laurels I'll spread
So my sons from your Crackers no mischief shall dread,
While snug in their clubroom, they jovially twine,
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine.

"Next Momus got up with his risible Phiz
And swore with Apollo he'd cheerfully join-
"The full tide of Harmony still shall be his,
But the Song, and the Catch, and the Laugh, shall be mine.
Then Jove be not jealousOf these honest fellows,
"Cry'd Jove, "We relent since the truth you now tell us;
And swear by Old Styx, that they long shall intwine,
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine.

"Ye Sons of Anacreon then join hand in hand;
Preserve Unanimity, Friendship, and Love!
'Tis yours to support what's so happily plann'd;
You've the sanction of Gods, and the Fiat of Jove.
While thus we agree,Our toast let it be:
"May our Club flourish Happy, United, and Free!
And long may the Sons of Anacreon intwine,
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

the quiet artist & i meet

He came over for mutual massage & more. We shared artwork - his & mine with each other & laughs. Then I offered the massage I rubbed his wooly body back first, then calves, then thighs… I crept between his legs & massaged his back from between his legs then massaged his bottom. It was a delight. I couldn’t help myself I had to rim his bum hole. It was tidy & sweet. Then I had him turn over & I massaged calves & thighs again. Then sucked his cock. It was hard & at the ready. I took turns sucking licking his nuts & rimming. Then I wet my finger & slid it in his love canal while is sucked his cock until it came in my mouth. He then raised up & offered to massage me. He rubbed my back then my ass which I arched up to his administrations & he then played with my man hole. Then he fucked me slow at first then harder. We changed positions three different times from me face down to doggy style then lastly he fucked me face to face with my legs over my head. I came in his hand gushing a load of white-hot jizz. Then he masturbated cuming all over my cock & balls. We lie together in blissful release side by side cuddling together as only two men can. I massaged him some more then I went to whiz. We chatted for the better part of an hour then he left. I can hardly wait to see him again.

new 15 minute figure studies - sketches