This is no game....Great Hunter / Nature's Duality....poem © 1996 Carlyle Matthew. Sometime in 1996, walking along Robson Street in Vancouver, there was a book in the window of a bookstore…it may have been during a lunch break or on the way to the bus or car after work. The title of the book was “The End Of The Game” and was written by a 1961 Yale University graduate by the name of Peter Beard. Mr Beard had moved to Kenya and settled on land next to a farm owned by a Karen Blixen.

In his book, Mr. Beard dramatically captured through stories, historical photographs and paintings done by Kamante Gatura (Karen Blixen’s house steward), the destruction of large animals in East Africa all in the name of sport.

The images were vivid and compelling. The artist was so deeply moved by the images of bleached white bones, the peril suffered by the animals and stories about life in the region that he set about completing the near 5 foot maskulpture entitled: Great Hunter / Nature’s Duality and the poem that accompanies it.

The poem Great Hunter / Nature’s Duality speaks to our relationship with other inhabitants of this planet and the manner in which some of them are treated….it hints at our role as stewards and questions the necessity of some hunts. There’s a saying in the Islands of Trinidad and Tobago: “What’s joke for schoolboy is death for crapaud (frog).” Kicking a hapless frog (crapaud/crapo) or tossing it into the air with sticks on the way home from school, may compel hearty laughter and seem like great fun to schoolchildren not knowing better…to the frog it’s a matter of life and death.

Hunting “game” may be seen as a sport for many when fridges are full and there’s easy access to food. For the animals hunted, it takes on a totally different meaning.

Great Hunter/ Nature’s Duality (c) 1996 Carlyle N. Matthew

This is no game

-What a shame…

Dichotomy of compassion/ barbarism,

            love- filled anger / humanism,

            flip flopping, duality wording,

            calling destruction  by another ism…

No great need, just straight greed and self- imperialism.

Come on...begin the hunt

            hunters ready…

Freezers chock-full

            no bloody hunger/ bloody cornucopia of bounty…

Cornucopia of beauty,

            of animals dying,  people crying

mesmerized, traumatized, anaesthetized

            by this love/ hate brutality….

Still ....

We gotta bring down the game!

Fair game, no blame, no chance

            -no shame

Cull the population…

            no resistance from a distance

Kill ! Overpopulation

            -lest starvation sets in.

Rogue on a rampage, animal treason

            more reason, for continued death season

Boredom, superstardom , machomoodom

Economic man, sports man, Reasonable man

Human ?...You say.

"Man...this is some kinda sport".

Great Hunter, 'Spiritual prey', called Predator

            making haste, laying waste

            never tasting only devastating...Life

Intolerant to diversity not adversity

            no need for reason for strife.

Trophy hunter's  - Safari

Conservationists - so sorry

Humankind - no worry

It is only fair game

No soul, no sadness, no trepidation

Time for celebration

Hail! 'Another seven foot trophy' .

Wild animals

 -Aliens on Earth

            while man searches wildly for intelligent life

            -creating strife

            - signalling  space ward

            dead silence, no reward

Oh my, I wonder why

            all invitations declined?

Global warming

Killer Bees swarming

Sunrise and Sunsets in irregular hues

El Nino warning                                 

Catastrophe brewing

Yes!

Predator conniving to maximize dues.

                                                         

Shoot it, maim it, hurt it, kill it,

            cage it, train it , exploit it, enslave it

Game today,

            gone tomorrow

Mighty great hunter

            even greater sorrow

Holocaust today,

            never tomorrow

Never again

            when this one ends.

We heard that one many times before.

---Oh collective soul....

            cry not for the Whale, nor the Elephant,                                  

            nor for the forests when there are no more trees

Contemplate not wailing for the great hunter,

            wailing and lamenting on both knees.

Shed no tears for 'The Mother'...Earth,

            who has recycled herself before.....

            providing rare opportunities for myriad kinds of life,

            to share and learn on her earth once more.

Let's Do It. (Poetry). Carlyle N. Matthew

 "Let's Do It" (Poetry) - Carlyle Matthew. This poem, like others written by the author was submitted to Kola publishing several years ago and is currently being advertized under the Free Online Library...???

There're endless possibilities and potentials offered by a free market economy...among which is an offer to all to express freewill, to compete while earning a livelihood and the freedom to engage in activities of interest.

In this now increasingly integrated world, the ever increasing polarities between rich and poor individuals and economies, highlight the urgent need to consider other options.  

Corruption, greed and unfair trade practices are among ills plaguing a system that has not reflected on its true beauty since its early days of inception. The middle road or line, where gentle conduct and fair trade (including products and services for sales plus reasonable profits) were the rule, has long since been crossed...its vague appearance blurred in the distant horizon like myth…not to be naive, there probably was and always will likely be those who could and would walk the proverbial crooked.

Let's Do It, the poem, was written in 1998 after being inspired by an article the artist read in Time magazine that year. The article featured a corporation whose intention was to embark on a campaign to sell a billion shoes in the Third World market, as the North American market was fully saturated by its products being sold at that time...

The Third World was then seen as an emerging frontier for revitalized sales and greater profits. A Third World which at that time in many places was struggling to meet ends, to feed a poor majority, maintain its sanity in light of exploration and exploitation by the hands of mega corporations and many with little regard for good behaviour. A Third World today which still hopes to achieve those things once considered the norm in first world societies…much is yet to be said about this but in the meantime, a poem is offered in part as a catalyst for other ideas of consideration. 

Let's do it  ©1998 Carlyle N. Matthew          

What's the rush

            to sell a billion more shoes,       

            you take their money

            they take your woes,

            same people hungry

            can't eat rubber soles

            poor souls starving

            for an image like yours

"Don't do it!"

What's the need

            to horde all this wealth

            can't spend in this lifetime

            can't take to the next

            abusing all resources,

            over-producing much pain

            the sweat slaves lose

            the dollars you gain.

"Don't do it!"

What's this place

            we cling to now

            small pause for concern/

            or great cause for alarm

            caught in this cycle

            no strong will to break

            all out of control

            all survival's at stake.

"Don't do it!"              

What's there to do

            you throw your hands in the air.

            You say

            Earth will right wrongs

            no need to care.

            In one or two centuries,

            things be better by far

            survival of the fittest

            in this unholy war

"Don't do it!"

     

What's there to do....

            over five billion queries...

            no common purpose

            for all to agree

            Let's start talking

            from village to village

            we can't survive

            this continued pillage.

"Let's do it!"

Obeah Woman mask (c) Carlyle N. Matthew - Front view

Obeah Woman mask (c) Carlyle N. Matthew - Side view

Maskmagic - Woodcarving for beginners - update

WHAT SOME STUDENTS HAVE SAID ABOUT MASK MAGIC (c).

1) " I am enjoying this course very much and didn't know until now, such courses

      were offered".

2) " I am most excited about the art. The aspect of relaxation that this medium envelopes

      the carver in. I am most disappointed that this course has only eight sessions".

3) " Carlyle instilled interest and enthusiasm in us all".

4) " A mixture of group techniques and individual teaching - very professional".

5) " I want to make it an interesting hobby".

6) " I am most excited about everyone's carvings - which seem to grow into different

      personalities as they evolve".

7) " I am most excited that I will have a mask hanging on my wall that will draw criticism

      and applause".

8) " Our instructor was extremely enthusiastic, he clearly enjoyed his craft which made

       this course that much more enjoyable. I would like to continue carving after the

       course because of this excellent experience".

9) " Excellent course , very instructive".

Instructor's note: There is a mysterious and  interesting process , when people from varying backgrounds and interests who, never having carved before can complete a variety of  highly aesthetic and uniquely interesting masks over a short period of time.

Many times , I am astounded by the high level of  talent and creativity of these 'beginner's ... I can only explain it by simply saying "magical".

Carlyle Matthew

maskerpieces.com

Maskmagic - Wood carving for beginners

Mask carving has been a hobby of mine for many years. It is my belief that we individually possess many talents and capabilities which could easily and redily be explored and developed if desired.

I began teaching wood carving for beginners to Continuing education students in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia in 1983 and continued for many years.


This proposed course would specifically be an introduction to woodcarving, designed to give the beginner valid knowledge of the art and its applications, allowing the beginner freedom to explore his/ her own creative ideas with regards to mask carving; it's meant to be fun while developing a sense of patience and confidence, integral to eventually mastering the craft; so called ‘mistakes’ are turned into creative ideas by looking at these as part of  the creative subconscious.

The structure of the course will be done in a format to allow beginners to apply techniques learned to create similar masks on his / her own…with the potential of developing a valuable and rewarding hobby.

Carlyle Matthew

maskerpieces.com