ARTS DECOTATIFS

I envy those folks who lived when

Flappers flapped and Jazz had just

learned to Jive. They were there for

Art Deco, whose smooth elegance was

too sweet to survive the jingles and

jangles of outrageous progress.

What is there about those

sleek lines that speak to something

sublime in the human spirit? A thing

to make us stop and soar into a simple

kind of sensual dream where long legs

and tasseled dresses tickle a smooth

thigh, and bounce with a frenzy of

desire? Those halcyon days of illicit

gin like a waterfall, when Tuxedos went

arm in arm with Coco Chanel and

arrived at the speakeasy in a turquoise

Delahaye with silver trim? A time

when sin was passe.

OH! Those Clara Bow lips, bare backs,

and silk stockings in the arms of a broad

shouldered triangle do paint a portrait

of enchanted delight to grace the wall

above our bed.

Such a sad reminder of how we have

seemed to stumble and fall flat in

our decline to a jagged time so shallow,

we no longer know anything of beauty

and how it can teach us to dance.

Vol Lindsey

Reviews

[emmajoygreen]

Yes, yes and yes! Seems style, courtesy and charm have disappeared into distant space where detritus lies hidden starless in pitch black ugliness! How I agree about the 'OH! Those Clara Bow lips, bare backs, and silk stockings in the arms of a broad shouldered triangle do paint a portrait of enchanted delight to grace the wall above our bed.'

So much of that appears to have died a death in the so called cinematic un-wonders of todays movies and oft 'fashionably' lauded theatrical offerings! The oddly tongue in cheek thing is that nostalgia regularly shows its face in costume drama with awards galore! (Please blame the first class direction, scripts and acting)

'.. we no longer know anything of beauty and how it can teach us to dance' Your words sum up the truth and nothing but so very well, Vol. Surely elegance can replace jeans and tees with gaping mouths or skirts up to bums with just a flick of -'try it just once and see how it makes you feel!'

Many thanks for sharing a very elegant piece of prose poetry, sir.

[Vol]

Joy,
I know, right? I may have already said how living life to the fullest only works in slow motion. Beauty requires TIME, something we've traded for speed. I thik I know you well enough by now to say, if this poem sere a sermon, you would be the choir.
Vol
I have a facebook friend who live in Mobile Alabama who is a gorgeous fifty something and who is always dressed in midcentury costume from hairdo to shoes, her expression is always a huge smile. She is also a tattooed biker. Not my type to hang around with but one of those people who wear life on their sleeve (long to hide all the ink) she is a delight to follow...

[emmajoygreen]

I'd love to meet her! Not an ounce of make believe. 'A what you see is what I am' human being. She must have a quill ready for the red ink too: true to fully blown life, blood, body and all - plus, willing to show it!

(As to me being the choir, sir..I can dance, play the piano, attack an accoustic guitar but - singing is definitely NOT my forte!!! Permission to find another!

As to her being a biker, probably a touch cookie but genuine. Have great respect for bikers since my car broke down (years ago) when driving up to Scotland. Wondering what the heck to do, dusk not so far away.. no cell phone in those days - wondered whether to cry or start walking.. but is said to stay with the vehicle. So what... half an hour later still wondering, three unmusical roars to a full stop behind my car. Oops, what do I do, stand still, lock doors - get in car first, naughty word under breath?! To cut a long story short.. one near jumped under the bonnet, another was calming me and assuring me they were only interested in getting me on my way, plus,. not into blondes anyway; the third went whizzing away. Forty five minutes later so was I. Garage a few miles away sent help, got the car started, add this and that, did this and that. And all the while one of biker brought out yucky pork scratchings, something else think a pie of some sort and another gave me his MARS bar! Talk about gentle giants and gentlemen. Exchanged addresses with one so he could send me a card and pic of his lady and their twin sons - which he did! Wrote about that a long time ago, maybe someone will remember it. Tis said never judge a book by its cover or a man wearing a hairnet! One can learn a lesson at any time.. best keep it top of the 'must always remember' in the best seller lesson in life! Excuse typos! .Wishing youj everything you wish for yourself and those you love, sir Vol.

[Vol]

Her name is Marcia Dubose Martin... I've known folks like her, had students like her... great fun to watch... from a safe distance...
But, yes, I've scared the crap out of more than one cage driver when I've arrived all leathered up... it's like,"OMG! We're being rescued by Darth Vader!!! Run for your lives!"
Too funny... they are usually meaner than I am...

[emmajoygreen]

Never known you to be mean, sir! However, know how and what the black leathers and helmet can prompt! Will think of you as Darth Vader from now on!

[Vol]

HUUUFF PUUUFF,

[emmajoygreen]

Careful, sir - count three before you do that again!

[Vol]

Awww... now that's tough... You've always stolen my breath... I give it freely,
Vol

[Lorry]

This has so put me in the mood to rewatch boardwalk empire and pretend I am getting ready to impress, while going to the local gin joint to be a part of the scene.
When guys wore suits and hats and woman, as you so elegantly describe, dressed like their design team were allergic to edges and everything had to be sleek.
I don't know where I went wrong, but think the penguin onesie and always having a beanie hat velcroed to my head might have something to do with it.
Or maybe it was that I always preffered blues to jazz and gin tastes a little too like hairspray to me, despite never tasting hairspray in my life!.
But we can dream. And when I do, I'm so cool, Daddy-o! 😊

[Vol]

Hahahaha! I've not seen "Boardwalk Empire. My favorite Art Deco is in Agatha Christie's Poirot as portrayed by David Suchet. Every frame in that series could be downloaded and framed. I've never seen such amazing filmography anywhere else.
All of western civilization has gone wrong. We celebrate ignorance and coarseness, and have become a society of nihilistic Narcissists, intent on little more than the immediate satisfaction of our basest desires, no matter the harm we know we do. In the face of that we all need to find a way to follow the Navajo and "walk in beauty,"