Words by Shanti Harjani Williams and Images by Carl Scharwath

Tonight I would like to share with you poet Shanti Harjani Williams and visual artist Carl Scharwath's collaboration.  The mixed media piece above is Carl's work, and the poem below is Shanti's response to it.

Beating heart

Her heart is held in never ending corridors

That wind up like a grandfather clock
Imposing entry and psychedelic interludes
Spinning a turntable on its head
Walk this way and focus on the vision
Nakedness breathes through beckoning bodice
Not far enough away
The heart lies hidden well beyond the entrance hallway
But resist the impulse to look
But find the night well into itself
With claws that dig throughout the day
Move the upper chamber and kiss between the walls
Centre aisle gets you a good view of her twisted beauty
You die quickly with her loving you 
And salvation comes early..

 

(c) Shanti Harjani Williams 2019
Oil painting by Carl Scharwath (woman painted, double exposed with photography)

 

Last weekend my husband and I listened to a fabulous streaming concert with Warren Wolf, Sean Jones, and others.  Here is their last song, Woody Shaw's "To Kill a Brick": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDgBE37MMEw

I'll also include their version of Bobby Hutcheson's "Theme from Blow Up": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERg1e1Jqe7I

Enjoy!