Bagism: Art & Poetry

Exhibit 6


As an artist of many talents, John Lennon has undoubtedly inspired countless numbers of people to explore their own artistic talents. Here then are some of the creations done by John's fans in his honor. If you'd like to contribute something you've created, please read the guidelines for submission.

John Winston Lennon
by Emily J. Price

John Winston Lennon This is a drawing I did in 1990, which is one of many portraits of John that I have created. I have always found his features a great inspiration to me, and I never tire of drawing or painting him. This was done in plain old pencil, and was actually taken from the reverse cover for Imagine, though I changed it a bit.


Mona Lisa of Today
by Jill Lehmann

Mona Lisa of Today I created this for my final in an art class (Graphic Design). The assignment was to "re-do" a historical painting and so I chose to redo the "Mona Lisa" into John Lennon. It really has no underlying meanings to it, but I think it worked out pretty well--- I thought it was very fitting for a Lennon lover like myself.


Sketch
by Dawn Anthes

Sketch This sketch is done in pencil on paper; the inspiration was from a photo in the "Imagine" photobook.


Imagining
by Jacqui Mills

Imagining I drew this last year [1997], after reading the book 'Imagine', and seeing a photo of John in the late seventies. This photo made me wonder what went on in John's mind and think about what a great man and thinker he was and how he was an ordinary man with an exraordinary mind.


John Madness 1
by Kirk Mathew Gatzka

John Madness 1 The original picture is a screen still from video of the Beatles on the roof of Apple, playing that famous concert. I used various computer tools in developing the modified image. I selected this shot of John because of it's action. Here we see John Lennon, artist, musician, having a good time playing live for streets below filled with people, some quite ordinary folks. John, having a good time with his mates. John's, life had it's very hard parts. He himself a very complex individual. It is gratifying to know that sometimes he just got lost in the music, and enjoyed the process. There is the place anyone who plays music can get to and have in common with those artists fortunate enough to become well-known and influential during their lives.


Dorinish
by Tracy Upole

I'm falling away from this world
And though I have tears in my eyes
I am not sad.
I want no part of the destruction which is coming
so slowly, yet so quickly
I long for the day when I might see you-
Alive and beautiful once more.
When your dreams of peace will be a reality.
Hold fast, all you have worked for is not in vain.
Soon we will no longer have to imagine.
Good-night, sweet prince.


Fair
by Ashley Gulick (B Happy13)

A time has come, a time has gone.
But I wasn't there, it wasn't fair.
A legend came, and a legend went.
But i wasn't there, it wasn't fair.
A dream was dreamt, realized, and faded.
It wasn't fair to any of us.


The Dreamer
by Ashley Gulick (B Happy13)

Lover "I saw a man, half man half walrus."
Bigot "What did he look like?"
Lover "He had a long nose, and small eyes with ::granny specks::."
Bigot "He must be evil"
Lover "He sees things differed."
Bigot "Was it the light?"
Lover "He fixs things that are wrong."
Bigot "Like my car?"
Lover "He knew all there is to know."
Bigot "Like my algebra home work?"
Lover "I don't expect you to understand love, respect, or the meaning of peace. But please, listen before you speak."
Bigot Sighlient forever


To Be Forever
by Barry Barrett

Titan of the Earth
seeking what it's worth
to be of light and sound
to be of the universe
A life that will never end
an infinite result this life will send


Deceiver
by Eric

A fan you appear as you approach this man
He signs your album and there you stand

You wait all day and you wait part of the night
As he steps out of the limo, you think it is right

You call out his name and you make the shot
And through all of this you have just forgot

A legend is lost as the shot fades away
And people feel sad until the remainder of this day.


A Tribute...
by Beat 97

Four war babies, born by the Mersey
John, James, George and Richard.
They each grew in their little part of Liddypool
Little did they know that they would become household names.
Then James met George on a bus.
They jammed together and became music buddies.
James met John at a church fair.
John didn't know the words, but his guitar wasn't about to split.
The Quarrymen was their name.
James and George joined up
Then they became Johnny and The Moondogs.
Beatles arrived one day when Pete joined them.
Off to Hamburg they went...
But George was sent home for being a kid,
James and Pete lit a 'kino',
John came home with an amp strapped to his back.
Now they knew Richard, a seasoned professional!
But the beard had to go and so did Pete.
Now the lads: John, Paul, George and Ringo had a secure future.
With a little help from their friends, Mr. Martin, Mr. Epstein and Mr. Evans they conquered the world.
So thank-you Beatles for donating your nervous systems and your lives to us.
But most of all thank-you for the magic that is the music, which has helped us through the tough times and brought us so much happiness.


Translating an Interview with the Ghost of an Impatient, Unhappy John Lennon
by Christopher Stolle

John, suppose destiny forgave
him or it?
(depending on the wound)

What would you be doing today?
did you eat well?
did you sleep?
you crying?

We're still hungry for love,
waiting for word,
listening.

Some sit idle, some heal glass.
did you resist, John?
you laughing?

What maker has the dreamer?
what image?
what tone?
what?!

We're still fighting, still singing,
waiting for help,
bleeding.

John, can you be our savior?
come home.
speak to us.

What wrinkles do you have now?
do you age?
can you see?
you must cry.

And this dew mirrors your wish.
what's your third wish?
what do you think?
have you seen Buddy?

And Jimi and Jim and Jim and Harry and Janis?
my grandfather, John?
and Jon?

Still in jeans and black shirts?
do you pray?
do you hurt?
you must laugh.

We tend to believe heroes are forever.
until they die.
are you dying again?

John, who do you miss?
who did you miss?
we miss.

How's the moon doing?
make it rain.
forget the snow.
what do you hope for?

We can't change time, it hates us.
we cry.
we feel alone.

These years grow like weeds.
souls erode.
we stopped praying.

Can you see our faces, our futures?
try to stop us.
please.

We used to laugh with you, John.
we stopped one winter.

And we teach our children your name.
we fall silent at sound.
your voice heals.


More Than A Beatle
by Chuck E. Klinger

An Artist First
A Poet For The People
Crusader Of Peace
Activist
Singer
Husband
Father
Son
Nephew
A Great Man
And Yes
A Beatle Too
Gone From Us Now
But His Art Will Live On
For Generations To Come


Goodbye, My Love
by Shawna H. Woodall

(written from the viewpoint of Yoko Ono)

Goodbye, my love, for we must part this day,
Do not cry, please don't be afraid.
I don't want you to go,
But I have to let go...
No, no, no!(Five gunshots)
Goodbye, My love, For you I will pray
Don't let the blood scare you,
You will be O.K.
No, no, no!(Five gunshots)
Why am I lying to you, My love?
It won't be O.K. Am I in denyal?
I must be, for I see the blood, I see your pain...
You won't ever see the light of another day.
No, no, no!(Five gunshots)
Goodbye, My love, for we must part this day,
Do not cry, please don't be afraid...
You must die, and I must cry...
Goodbye, My love,
Alone in the sky.


untitled
by Melissa Forrest White Eades

Rushed home to see you then
When we met I don't remember when
Turn on the T.V. screen
And started to scream
Cause you were there
As real as anything
I heard you talking 'bout your love
About your wife and kids and best friend
I started crying for your loss
You missed your gone best friend
You wanted to see him again


Letter To Johnny
by Brandi Paulette Fortelny

Dear Johnny,
Sleeping well?
Everyone sends their love.
I have a question, you never answered.
Why did you love Yoko when you could have had me 30 years later?
Your ideas still bathe in a pool of my memory.
Who were you when you weren't being "you?"
When you weren't in love with her?
I pity you.
Look where your freedom got you.
There's a lot of room in heaven, yet no freedom in a box, six feet under ground.
Well, at least you tried.
Thanks a lot.

--A friend


untitled
by Saj9yo

Dear John:

What is heaven like
Is it what the story books say
White clouds all around you
And blue skies every day

Angels fly effortlessly
While people reunite
Everything looks beautiful
Amidst soft candlelight

Smiling faces all around you
Do you still sing for peace
Finally filled with love and happiness
Now that your deceased

This place is filled with wonders
For eternity I hope you stay
Becaues this place is what you dreamed about
And I'll be there some day


Hopeless (another war song)
by Beth

The dreamer cries
The dreamer screams
The dreamer lives alone in the corners of his mind
And counts the shadows in his eyes
The dreamer waits till dark
To paint his sunrise
The dreamer sees the world
Through plates of glass
And the windows are always stuck
The dreamer saves a life
But it flies away
The dreamer writes with markers on mirrors
And everyone who looks in them can't see
The dreamer screams
The dreamer cries
The dreamer lives a life
Then dies
Goodnight john


Hamburg, 1961
by Meisje Regensburg

Oh, baby, I'm in love with you!

A 37-year-old photograph
of sideburns, leather jacket,
guitar held at an angle...

The day is long gone
but its shadow remains

The shadow of your unsmiling face
of the eyes that said all that was needed
of the lips that were defiantly shut
of the soul that lingers when the body...

The energy is spent
that was pent in the heart behind your black t-shirt
that was in the pit of your screaming throat
that screamed from a tortured soul...

That day is long gone
The shadow is what remains

And, oh, baby, I'm so in love with you....


A True Fighter
by Deanna Howarth (Abbey)

He said
he wanted a revolution
He had his bed-in for peace
Imagine
all the people shouting
"All We Are Saying is Give Peace a Chance"
Criticisms flaring
from the mouths of reporters
as John
who was now fully bearded
sat with his wife Yoko
A small, longhaired lady of Asia
whose ideas no one really understood
No one understood why John loved her
either.
Yeah, John had his share of criticism
at that time,
More than I could probably handle
but John did.
Yeah, he was a fighter
alright.
One of the biggest that
I know.
When his mother was rundown
when he was just a kid in
'57
did he stop everything
and climb into a hole
for life?
No.
When his exbandmate
and best friend
mysteriously died in
'62
Did John run and hide?
No.
John kept going.
Even when it seemed
everything he did was critiqued
and hated
John kept going.
No, John didn't
stop
He did what
he loved
with who
he loved
and didn't care
what others thought.
No, he didn't care.
John just
kept
going.


Let It Be
by Soggy

Things Are that be are things
that Were did be but things
that Never Were had never been
at All
Yet things that Might Have Been
could be like Peace and Worldwide
Love
and other
Things


The Wish
by Thomas Kearns

When I leave this heavy corproal body
And pass along the tunnel
As I head toward the light and feel love
Unimaginable
I want to reach out and hug John Winston Lennon,
Look him in the eye and tell him that I love him
For what his life has meant to me!
Only then will my life have been complete.


December 8 1980
by Allison

All he wanted was love and peace, but the war, it did not cease. Some psycho who happened to have a gun, killed the music for every one. This man took his message of peace,as a message of violence. He aimed the gun, and fired. Our music died that day, December 8, 1980. John was our music. Mudered. Yet alive in the hearts of all.


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Disclaimer: All the items presented in this exhibit (drawings, paintings, poems, etc.) are used with permission. The contributor of each item has claimed that he/she is the legal owner of the item and therefore has the legal right to permit its use. Sam Choukri will not be held liable in the event that the contributor of an item is found not to have the legal right to permit the use of such item. If there is any dispute concerning the ownership of any item, it will be removed until the dispute is resolved.

 

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Last updated on Aug 3, 2002