Once in a Cradle

By Jackie Scheckler Nourigat

This Book is a gathering of long and short pieces of free-verse writings complemented by paintings working in synergy, where some visions of reality find expression through an array of "harmonics" (dreamlike, mythical, allegorical, folkloric. poetical, archetypal or symbolic, all forms of imagery compatible with our inner complexities and their transformational power. Thus, by revealing and reflecting the psyche, these correspondences work toward the integration and harmonization of the different spheres of the Self.The various issues chosen as subjects have to do with my humanitarian disposition fueled by the basic emotions of love and empathy. Even if we seldom realize it or merely ignore it, the workings of the brain/mind consciousness and the findings of creativity have been found to take place in a direct neural connection with the heart. Being mindful of it enables one to better read, hear, breathe and touch love inside and outside of the Self, at will. Throughout the Book, this theme reoccurs under different forms. The Heart is "the stuff" Fables and Fairy Tales are made of (for example, the frog changes into a prince the moment he know he is loved, etc.)As the fabric of the Universe, love is what constitutes the frame underlining the tapestry of life. I have attempted to illustrate this concept in the present book, where The Heart is more specifically explored in three different fictional 'genres':Allegorical, in 'THE MIGHTY FALL'Mystical. in 'I AM'The Symbolic, in 'MA'The Mythical, in 'SOMETHING ABOUT CREATIONWith a zest of philanthropic benevolence in 'THE COUNCIL OF THE ANIMALS'. In 'MA or The Ballad of the Stranded Child who lived in Exile', the representation of the unwanted/under-loved baby is an attempt to give back to the once invisible child a Voice enabling it, later on, to stand up and speak for itself: We have here The righting of the wrong.In 'THE COUNCIL OF THE ANIMALS' or in 'COCK-OF-THE-GAME' we took another chance in giving some of our distant cousins a 'being there', a presence that would enable them to let us know what they think of us. Would that be sufficient to make us acknowledge their dignified existence, their formidable strength and beauty? Let's hope it would.Last but not least, the piece 'RAINBOW MAN' deals with the most controversial and haunting figure of human history: the persona of Jesus who, for some two thousand years, appears to have become a living symbol of love incarnate, here below.WHAT IS ART?Art is nourishment for the Heart, the spirit and the human soul. It occupies an important place in every culture. Without Art, life would be a boring, dull and meaningless adventure.WHAT IS POETRY?Poetry is the alchemy of words. It is an outburst of raw emotion, or visceral energy, that articulates to find expression through the wizardry of language. At its best, poetry could possess the magical power of Cinderella trying her slipper. Eureka! Acknowledgments:For all the Joys of existenceThat we share beyond the whims of TimeFor a Future Perfect, And as a tribute to the child thatEach of Us has to beONCE IN A CRADLE. Jackie Scheckler Nourigat

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1468135619
• ISBN13: 9781468135619
• Release Date: April 2014
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 1.11 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.0" x 0.5" x 7.0"