Art Gallery

Art gallery, snooty salesman, pensive artist who has been talked into selling a block of wood with his name on it as art.
Product., Block of wood., one block of wood., That is the whole show.,

It is a GRAND opening., opening night,. All the lights in the gallery are dim except the one on "THE PIECE". That is what it is called, "THE PIECE. A single block of wood, signed by the artist. An unknown backwoods country boy who likes to create stuff. His last piece, "A CHILD'S TRICYCLE" sold for $200,000 Dollars. It has been a steady progression of the slimy NY art dealer to promote this county stoner's stuff as art and push it on the buyers as desirable and valuable.

The NY dealer found this bumpkins stuff in the front yard of his home somewhere in the south, weeds growing around them. The dealer paid a modest sum for the first 10 pieces of junk, 50 Dollars. The artist was dumbfounded at the NY dealer, fool and all his money.

But, the dealer came back for more. The country boy, being no fool, decided he would get over on the dealer and charge 15 dollars a piece for what he made. The dealer was too smart for the young artist and would not take less than 20 a piece, and he had to get all that was made at the time.

As you can probably guess, the dealer was getting more and more for the your budding artists work, getting wealty very quickly, and couldn't get enought of it to satisfy demand.

So, back to the opening. Al the media was there, to catch a glimpse of the reclusive artist they could only imaging creating what they considered some of the finest new works to come out of the 20the century modern art movement.

The artist, standing quietly in a corner wearing his Sunday best that didn't fit well, a bow tie and tennis shoes, respectfully greeted the wealthy guests as they were introduced to him. None of the guests believing for a minute that this bumpkin could be the man responsible for the creations they so eagerly sought. But they played along, knowing the dealer was well respected in the NY circles and could be known to play such a hoax just to enhance the experience of what was to be the art auction of the year for any new artist.

One piece, all these people all the money. The rube thought his piece of wood might bring 2 or 300 dollars, thinking all these NY rich people senseless, by the way the talked murmured about the possiblilities for "THE PIECE"

As the auction started, Mr. country boy artist was dumbfounded as the price rose to 500. he thought dollars, the dealer knew to add zero's. No sense upsetting the apple cart. At the end of the auction, and after all the people were gone, the dealer reluctantly paid the young artist what was owed, 50% of the sale. $250 Dollars went into the pocket of the artist, and he got on the bus for home. Always he will tell the story about the dumb art dealer he got over on forever, and the NY big shots who paid way to much for a piece of wood not big enough to be used for anything anymore.

Waking up

Like looking through a straw
at images-real and dream
seemingly on at a time
floating by-crisply and individually
all together and separate
easy and fluid
my mind taking all the time it wants
to begin a new day
allowing me along for the ride
between two worlds
while looking through a straw
or a funnel