expressyourself – Play. Create. Discover…

The Grim Bitter sneaked into my home last week,
and asked me, please, to play.
The Grim, you should know, is the gnarliest soul,
and not in a cool ol’ way.
I know not whether the Grim is more bitter than grim,
or more grim than the bitterest thing,
But when I denied his request, what did manifest,
was nothing that I was expecting!
He sat down on his rump, with a roar and a thump,
atop all of my chores and to-dos,
His face in a frown, he crossed his arms proud,
and when I asked him to leave— he refused!
“I’ve got things to do, oh why won’t you move!?”
but my cries only pleased him much more,
“Fine then, I’LL go—” and I tried, but oh no,
where he sat, he was blocking the door!
So I huffed and I puffed and I shoved and I snuffed
until I felt completely enraged,
Then I chased him about with a broom and a shout,
until my whole house— rearranged!
On this went for a week, without food, drink or sleep,
to the point that I gave in and sat,
And together we groaned, and we pouted and moaned,
’til at last we had no more to add.
Then when we were done, he said, “Thanks for the fun!”
and went off on his unpleasant way…
So if the Grim Bitter calls, it may be wise not to stall—
but instead to appease him and play!

Sometimes you just have to acknowledge your frustrations, sit with those uncomfortable feelings, and let out your upset so you can move on and get back to living your life! Whether it’s throwing paint at a canvas, letting yourself cry, taking a day off for yourself, talking to a trusted loved one or a professional— or anything else than helps— well, as the old saying goes: better OUT than IN! What’s your favourite way of blowing off steam when you’re feeling grim or bitter? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading! Also find me @artofnonsense on Facebook and Instagram or visit the Art of Nonsense Shop for more monsterly inspiration…

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Pssst- what I write in this blog is a reflection of my own ideas and experiences and/or interpretations of any referenced material. The content of this blog is for entertainment and/or informational purposes only. I am not an expert or therapist and cannot be held liable for any content provided or how it is used. Please enjoy at your own discretion. I reserve the right to change the content or management of this blog at any time. That said, I hope you enjoy it! © 2021 Kristina Durst All Rights Reserved.

Hello fellow fans of Nonsense. It was a week inspired by watching the 2019 series “Dickinson” about the infamous poet. Seeing Emily’s conflict with confidence in her poetry had me reflecting on how many artists (including me) struggle with their self-worth, feeling “not good enough” and a fear of being seen. The following poem ensued, as well as this silly little self-portrait, both of which I actually quite love! Be warned that I may exaggerate slightly in the poem and that it is by no means meant to be self-deprecatory— quite the opposite rather. It is meant to be empowering! Wouldn’t it liberating to just celebrate the joy of creating and what it means to you, rather than being pulled down by the weight of perfectionism, expectation, and judgement? Create whatever makes you happy, dear ones. And remember, if you create, you are already an artist. So go and claim the title! I challenge you to create a quick 20-30 minute self-portrait this week, and share it on social media with the #drawyourselfchallenge

“A Bad Artist” by Kristy Biscuit

Some may call me a bad artist,
Not because the work I create is mediocre—
But because I don’t obey the confines,
I like to colour outside the lines
In the most literal sense.
I love imperfection.
I don’t stay inside the box
Of what it means to be a “good little artist”.
I don’t need to fit in,
I don’t like to characterize
My work by comparison to genres,
Or to other artists,
Be them classic, contemporary or whatnot.
What I create is beautiful,
But not perfect enough to fall
Under any fancy terms.
And what I create is original,
Yet not different enough
To be called revolutionary.
Some may call me a bad artist,
Because I don’t know the trends.
I don’t walk the walk,
I don’t talk the talk,
Whilst visiting fancy art shows.
I don’t pay hundreds or thousands, or more,
To hang art on my walls
To honour those “more” talented than me.
My walls drip with my own creations,
Proudly.
Yes, I prefer to create
Over viewing other’s work—
Though I occasionally do,
And am sometimes inspired—
But my preference lies
In my own muddied hands,
Muddled face,
Crumpled pages.
Yes, I prefer to create.
For creation is my fire.
Creation, my air.
Creation, my water.
Creation, the earth I tread upon.
Some may call me a bad artist,
But I say, I am a Great One,
Because what I create is mine.
It is my joy,
And nothing matters more.

Thanks for reading! For more inspiration and creativity, find me @artofnonsense on Facebook and Instagram or visit the Art of Nonsense Shop

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Tag: expressyourself

The Grim Bitter: Better Your Bitter

The Bad Artist: A Self-Portrait