All those damned Teaspoons

All those damned Teaspoons  –  18 x 26  Available at the Granary Gallery

I have Pete Seeger to thank for this one…and for his lifetime of advocacy and good trouble.

The aging hippie that I am was raised on ’60’s folk music
It runs through my veins and wallows around in my soul
While my fingers can still strum it plays out on my guitar

The aging artist that I am is informed by those chords
And accompanies those rhythms tapping brushes on teacups

Among the many tributes to Pete upon his passing to that big sing along in the sky
were many references to his activism. Lending his powerful musical voice to social, political and environmental justice inspired many a generation.

But this particular parable…inspired my Muses…

Parable of the Teaspoon Brigade

Imagine that there’s a big seesaw. At one end of it is a basket half full of rocks. That end is on the ground.

At the other end is a basket one-quarter full of sand. And a bunch of us with teaspoons, we’re trying to put sand in that end.

A lot of people laugh at us, they say

“Oh, don’t you see, it’s leaking out as fast as you’re putting it in.”

Well, we say, “It’s leaking out, but we’re getting more people with teaspoons all the time. One of these days, you’re gonna see that whole basket with sand so full that this seesaw is going to go zoooom-up in the other direction.”

And people will say, “Gee, how did it happen so quickly?”

Us and our damned little teaspoons.  

I don’t remember where I lifted this from but it has been carried over from one sketchbook to another and another for years until…

the Muses decided it was time
the silver topped stick was Ted’s
the well worn cane came by way of my great grandfather
the teaspoons sat in Jane’s shop
the teacups from my shelves…
the magic
the determination
the hope and the joy…
that’s all Pete…
will you grab a teaspoon
and join us ?

Just a Spoon Full

 

Just-A-Spoon-Full

 

Another Hero has slipped off the planet…
and in his wake…
such big shoes to fill.

Go softly sweet men…Pete Seeger.

“I honestly believe that the future is going to be millions of little things saving us. I imagine a big seesaw, and at one end of this seesaw is on the ground with a basket half-full of big rocks in it. The other end of the seesaw is up in the air. It’s got a basket one-quarter full of sand. And some of us got teaspoons, and we’re trying to fill up sand. A lot of people are laughing at us, and they say, “Ah, people like you have been trying to do that for thousands of years, and it’s leaking out as fast as you’re putting it in.” But we’re saying, “We’re getting more people with teaspoons all the time.” And we think, “One of these years, you’ll see that whole seesaw go zooop in the other direction.” And people will say, “Gee, how did it happen so suddenly?” Us and all our little teaspoons…”


~ Pete Seeger