Stunning Irish photographer Meticulous Mick and I have come together to provide this little number for you.
I first heard of his collaborative spirit when my lovely blogger pal Sheila Hurst teamed up with MM to create Pavement and Paint.
It’s not hard to be inspired by his ridiculously beautiful photos, so he sent me a couple of photos to work with. While they were both absolutely breathtaking, I found “Faded Colour” irresistible.
I thought of this boat as a breathing person, a woman neither young nor old, with doubts and desires. My mind went into a frenzy and I scribbled for a few minutes to create this random something.
I’m not a poet, so call it what you like.
Be sure to get your butt over to Meticulous Mick’s collaborations page if you want to team up.
WHEN I AM ME, I AM FREE
I could be smooth and new like them
Gliding along the sea in some infinite breeze
Without feelings, without pain
Like porcelain dolls never fazed by the rain
But, I am me
Weathered, chipped, and a little faded
I’m not expensive or high-maintenance
I’m a bargain with my colorful simplicity
Because I have traveled
Across the vastness of life
I remain lovely and bright
Sailing through the dark and the light
My generosity has carried so many souls
And they have guided me in the right direction
I have known life in all of its exquisite ways
Beneath me in the water, above me in the sky, inside of my earthly body
All of it made me real and alive
They made me beautiful
These journeys across the endless sea
When I am me, I am free
Britt Skrabanek 
Very nice Britt. The image and your words put me in mind of a fading actress, dignified, reminding the young ones that she’s been there already.
Love that you picked up on that! One of my next books will have a fading silent film actress for the main character. So, I guess she’s creeping into my brain already. : )
Both pieces are amazing! Beautiful words!! 😀
Thank you so much!
This is so beautiful. I love the message of the poem. Love the line “I’m a bargain with my colorful simplicity”.
Aw, thank you, lovely. That was one of my faves to cook up. I had complex simplicity originally, but changed it to colorful after looking at the boat again for inspiration.
Beautiful!
Thank you!
Loved the title and the way you portrayed the importance of embracing uniqueness.
Thanks, hon. Uniqueness is what makes us more beautiful.
You’ve described what life is like and the beauty of it. Not all polish and paint but with scars and character of life. Well done! Fantastic photo also
Thanks, Dannie! Definitely not all “polish and paint”…love that!
Aww, I really like this because it’s an homage to caring less about appearances and caring more about the love of life, making the most of adventures and experiences. Great job!
Totally! Aren’t our wrinkles just a souvenir for a life lived fully? That’s what I like to think. : )
Definitely!
Well said! I was just about to say the same 🙂 !
Great minds think alike. : )
Love the poetry Britt!
Thank you, Karin! It was fun to take a stab at it.
[…] Ireland. Back in March John and I teamed up for a collaborative project, where I created a poem “When I am me, I am free” after being inspired by one of his exquisite photos. It isn’t hard to be enraptured […]
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