pie (This is good.)

Published: Fri, 11/15/24

** thesis statement * not always a recipe * green bird * hi! i'm art **

(slice of pie on a green plate) PIE (This is good.)

The body is difficult. I caught on to this early. (rectangle suggesting a piece of blue construction paper. drawn on it, two faces, each peeking into the frame, no bodies visible — think Pacman. Faces say to each other: Hi! I'm Bob. / Want to play catch? At the bottom of the page, a small ball.) / As a first-grader I drew little stories that were mostly words.

(On a table is a piece of paper that is rather small but could be the drawing described above. At the table sit Mrs. Jonez, six-year-old- Carolyn, and Carolyn's mom.) Mrs. Jonez, pointing at drawing: This little figure is not art. Carolyn's mom: Oh, I see. Caption: Mrs. Jonez reports to my mom at my first ever parent-teacher conference.

Words are easier. More obedient, with edges and definitions. Many definitions each, at times, of course — and shades and connotations. But even all those variations are so much more easily handled than the rest.

(six little drawings of odd bodies, each drawing flawed in its own special way.)

Green bird: Is that a pig? Where are the hands. Why does the arm go that way? Where — oh, is *that* her leg? Eeeh?

The body's shapes, proportions, sizes, movements, meanings, angles, perspectives — in handling these there are a million bazillion ways to be wrong, ridiculous, shameful, embarrassing; to fail, understate, overdo, or just plain miss. // Pacman-like face at edge of frame says: The easiest part of the body is the part that comes up with words and says them.

And trying to draw the body is nothing compared to *being* a body. / And having words *about* the body...? / It's been a rough week. / On Friday I met a friend at a bakery and had a cup of coffee and a piece of pecan pie. I know I wasn't the only one using food to soothe the body that day.

(slice of pecan pie, steaming mug of coffee) / Food is also easier than the body.

(Pacman-like face peering into frame: Support your local bakery!)

Please share This is good. with others who might like it!

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