Artist Journal
Secrets Between Our Shadows and Our Souls
Secrets Between Our Shadows and Our Souls Surrounded by myself and the tall summer’s grass I lie still ____ and alone listening to the songs of the earth. I am crawling through the underbrush of what use to be us ____ and even though you are gone the flowers remain. I wanted more, I always want more my appetite exceeds my frame and I spill out into the visible world. You knew I was insatiable you tried to temper me you were honest and kind and as your friend said ‘you were always ‘present’ ____ but I was afraid, and when you asked me what I believed in I turned away. ( I believe ‘we have played along side millions of lovers’) Perhaps we were, in some past life mythological lovers ____ I think sometimes we ask too much of one another. ____ and so what if love dies over and over again. (age after age the words of the poet fall from the past into the future, an eternal song of desire fueled by the ‘perfect moment’. For now _____ my heart sings to the poppies as they cast their shadows upon my spine ____ I call out to you____ you see me in this dream: I ask you to return my heart to my body so that I might feel again. (God it is so humbling to be alive and sometimes I am so afraid my heart will break into a thousand pieces.) In this fragmented dream you whisper to me ____ through the fields and the forest kissing my rough hands: ____the hands made strong by bronze, by pencil and by ink. (My body stretches out to reach you extended into this landscape ____ forever.) Is all of this life a magical illusion? When my eyes are closed I feel you making love to me but then ____ the memories shift and I am moving slowly in my garden envisioning human suffering trying to remember your touch. Maybe it is the poetry that saves me, ____ or perhaps the sun, this field, the forest or the moon. For now I allow myself to feel the beauty of pain ____ to speak truth and to taste the flowers that seep into my veins. I still love you you made me feel alive ____ and the lord of darkness reminded me that nothing can hurt me if I let go of everything that gives me pleasure. You gave me breath honesty and love but I am not certain of spellbound hearts and everything is so temporary ____ We are all in movement on our way to the unknown. (Love is the ‘why’ of life.) I lost you, now I love another ____ the one who gives fire to my soul, but still I crawl through the fields at night beneath the goddess of love and silently I crave you. These are the secrets between our shadows and our souls. © Gesso Cocteau
Ladies and Lions
About My Video 'Ladies and Lions' on my YouTube Channel _____ Gesso Cocteau YouTube Channel In the mystical realm of the enchanted jungle, where the moon whispered secrets to the towering trees and the sun bestowed its golden warmth upon the emerald foliage, a legendary tale unfolded—the tale of Ladies and Lions. Long ago, when the universe was but a synthesis of dreams, majestic beings emerged, embodying the essence of both solar and lunar realms. Women and lions, two majestic entities, shared a kinship that transcended the boundaries of mere existence. In this ethereal land, they were bound by common traits—elegance, strength, courage, justice, and magic. Known as "the KING of the beasts," the lion held sway over the sunlit domains, symbolizing power and might. Yet, within the heart of the lioness, a connection to the Great Mother stirred—a symbol of protection and nurturing grace. Thus, the ladies and lions became intertwined, creating a perpetual balance. In the heart of the this mystical jungle, where the air hummed with the melody of unseen spirits, goddesses were paired with lions from their very birth. This sacred union formed a bond so profound that it transcended the earthly realm. The goddesses and their protectors became inseparable companions, their destinies woven into the fabric of the cosmos. As the ladies and lions roamed the enchanted jungle, their purpose was clear—to bring wellness and balance to the delicate ecosystem that cradled life. Each goddess, with her lion by her side, wielded the magic of both sun and moon, ensuring harmony prevailed. The love between these divine beings was a testament to the sacredness of their bond. A love that surpassed the limits of mortal understanding, it was a union of celestial devotion. The goddesses and their lion protectors, guided by an unspoken vow, stood as guardians of the land of enchantment. In moments of peril, when the jungle echoed with the whispers of unseen dangers, the goddesses and lions would merge seamlessly, becoming one. A harmonious fusion of strength and grace, a manifestation of the unbreakable link between the solar and lunar forces. Their magical gifts, bestowed upon them by the universal forces that watched over the enchanted jungle, were harnessed for a noble cause—the protection of Earth. With each beat of their courageous hearts, the ladies and lions safeguarded the delicate balance of nature, weaving enchantment and magic into the very fabric of existence. And so, the legend of Ladies and Lions endured—a timeless story of symbiosis, love, and the eternal dance between the solar and lunar realms. In the heart of the jungle, where the moon and sun embraced in eternal harmony, their tale echoed through the ages, a testament to the enduring power of mythical bonds and the guardianship of a world touched by enchantment. Video Art © Gesso Cocteau
Wildness
About My Video 'Wildness' on Gesso Cocteau YouTube Gesso Cocteau YouTube Channel This is a celebration of wildness, where the primal meets the celestial, and where the untamed spirit of leopards and the boundless freedom of crows inspire us to live with daring sensuality. Leopards ladies and crows converge to weave a tale of untamed beauty, fearlessness and unbridled spirit. In this visual odyssey, these magnificent creatures symbolize the wildness within women – feral and untamed, this enchanted land that embraces passion, sensuality, and an unyielding connection to our precious Earth. This is a celebration of the uncultivated, where the primal meets the sublime, and where the fierce spirit of leopards and the boundless freedom of crows inspire us to live daringly and passionately. This is the raw, sensual force that pulsates with undomesticated and tameless courage. The leopard, a manifestation of primal power, prowls with a predatory elegance, embodying the fierce and passionate nature that pulses through the veins of existence. Meanwhile, the crow, dark-winged and mysterious, becomes the harbinger of secrets and transformation, a symbol of the enigmatic depths of the human spirit. Ladies, both graceful and wild, entwine with these symbolic creatures in a subversive dance, birthing a clan that defies convention and societal norms. This is a celebration, a rebellious chorus that echoes the courage of the wild, inviting the audacity to be different, to embrace the untamed within. The symbolism of leopards and crows intertwines with the human experience, creating a discordant yet harmonious anthem that resonates with the primal and the mysterious. Stay wild and untamed;
Owl Tribe
Journey through the mystical realms of the ‘Owl Women’ video, where wisdom takes flight on silent wings.
Fragments
Fragments Where the darkness kisses the light and the light begs for forgiveness, where the split in time allows the shade of this shadow to sleep within his arms. Where once I lost sight of the beauty of wildness and our unharnessed rapture. Where I dreamt we were children and the wink of your eye became a door to our lives. Where I lost you and you would not return when I asked you why you whispered to me, “the void is where we find one another.” When the emptiness echoed with illuminated sight I saw fragments of myself. I became a witness to the rising of our lust. you remember now____don’t you? © Gesso Cocteau From 'STRANDED HEARTS' An Anthology Of Love Poetry Art by Pete Berg for 'STRANDED HEARTS' An Anthology Of Love Poetry
'STRANDED HEARTS' HAS ARRIVED'
A poet can only give her heart away once, the rest is observation. Poets are right to assume that love is eternal, and in a world of temporary things love is the immortal human experience. This is the poetry that sleeps between our love. May we always be bruised by beauty and touched by angels, but may we also be aware of our demons and our shadows, for the heart can only love in truth and these are the ingredients of the human condition.
STRANDED HEARTS
SOON TO BE RELEASED - STRANDED HEARTS An Anthology of Love Poetry Written by Gesso Cocteau Illustrated by Pete Berg "Now I understand the secret of redemption, I will never forget you. We are forever stranded hearts _____."
The Way it Felt
It is the way the beginning of winter felt,
Yearning
"Perhaps like the sixth symphony you love so much we are decreed by fate."