A Poem

IsAbel

“…originality above all else.”

 ~  IsAbel Beaudoin

It was all there, all that was left of the passion that consumed her…

prints, metal sculptures, fabric, batiks; Noah’s Ark-the procession

of carved animals marching across an entire wall; handmade paper,

cast and painted; a purple lady, tall and regal, like IsAbel herself,

oils, watercolors, acrylics, pastels.

                                      old women

                                   their wild hearts           

                                        unknown

Two times I was privileged to meet her. Once, at her home,

with bright batiks fluttering from a clothes line like flags

proclaiming the country of art. Then at the great20show of her

life’s work, with treasures enough to fill a warehouse, where

she looked at me from her wheelchair, smiled and said,

“I’d like to paint you in those blue beads…”

                                        one more day

                                      the blank canvas

                                            waiting

At eighty-seven, IsAbel began to fail. Creation no longer emerged

from those trembling hands, except for one day, when a caregiver

arrived to find a plain white cabinet that held Isabel’s paints had

been transformed. Trees now danced on it, painted in a shaky

hand, but vibrant and alive. IsAbel never could bear a colorless

world, not when there was so much splendor in hers.

                                         don’t just live

                                               shine

In Memoriam:  Isabel Beaudoin 1921-2009

Sharon Auberle has returned to her Midwestern roots after years of living in the Southwest, and she is very happy to be residing full time in Door County. Besides poetry, photography and paper arts are her passions, samples of which may be found on her website, Mimi’s Golightly Café. She is the author of two recent books, Saturday Nights at the Crystal Ball and Crow Ink, both available in Door County bookstores.