so…it remains Church art…enshrined
not vandalized… this well-intentioned
restoration oiled on Martinez’ fresco
when she, Gimenez, a Good Samaritan…slipped
sanctuary doors without due diligence
of those who saw her, hourly, painting there…
curious duality of care and carelessness

she despaired long decades depredations…
of blessings touch…of humid prayers and
incense smoke…disfigurement of mold
compelled her rash redemptive mission
her vision of a holy incarnation

her Christ has matted fur for hair…
His head’s no longer crowned with thorns,
His newly Greek masked mouth…a smudge
His Heaven gaze turned vacant now to viewer stare

opinions still abrade her brash interpretation
with bluster fury admiration wonder ridicule despair
for it’s now famous infamous to paying curious crowds
who flock the tourist shrine and facemail selfies yet…
there are a few who simply think and smile and kneel
and sigh and pray

Bonnie Marshall

Artwork by Elias Garcia Martinez, 1930
and Cecilia Gimenez…

John W. Waterhouse: Pandora

From the last entry: So why “return to the cocoon?” you might ask. I reflected and thought about this quite a bit as Pisces Moons do… [to] reflect back upon my experience here for there is more to be learned and understood and more from my own experience that I can use to help others on their journeys. Neptune, the ruler of Pisces in Western Astrology, has also recently turned retrograde, so what better time to take a fresh dive into the deep end and see all the amazing and beautiful things I didn’t see before when I was distracted by the darkness.

Besides the Neptune retrograde transit, Saturn, who is also retrograde, recently returned to Scorpio, where he had previously been from early October 2012 to December 24th, 2014. Scorpio is my solar 4th house of home, family, mother, ancestors, past lives/karma, and the emotional psyche…