Ring of Fire #4– Coming to Principle Gallery
Cowards are cruel, but the brave love mercy and delight to save.
–John Gay, Fables, 1727
Ain’t that the truth?
And it applies in so many ways today. The bullies who bluster and threaten and prey on those with little power are in great abundance. We see evidence of this in the constant cruelty being exhibited by public officials who hide behind the cloak of their offices and titles and by online trolls who hide behind their anonymity. People who only want to punish and harm those who are different than themselves or those with less power. People who are forever taking for themselves and seldom giving anything to others.
Not money nor compassion and not a hand up or a way forward.
Certainly not mercy.
I guess it’s always been that way. A bully in 2023 is most likely little different than a bully in 1727.
And now, as it was then, the solution to bullies and wannabe tyrants is to cut through the sound and fury of their threats and hold them accountable. To make them finally understand the importance of mercy in this world.
I’m talking in vague terms here, of course. There are some bullies who will never understand mercy and will see it as a weakness to be exploited. These bullies will always claim to be victims. Such people deserve little mercy until they are brought low enough to feel truly chastened and accept the responsibility for their words and actions.
Is that possible? I don’t know.
Maybe I am just blabbing this morning for the sake of hearing my own voice. That’s always a possibility. Actually, I had the quote at the top from John Gay, best known for writing The Beggar’s Opera in 1728 which introduced the world to MacHeath or Mack the Knife as we know him.
I also had this week’s Sunday Morning Music which is Her Mercy from Glen Hansard. I chose his version performed in what appears to be an Irish alley somewhere because I am always impressed by his commitment to his performances, even in a not perfect environment like that alley. He gives the same level of effort whether he is performing for a full arena or an empty alleyway. I love that type of commitment. It most likely comes from his years as a street busker.
I wasn’t sure what image to set beside these two other elements that deal with mercy. I finally settled on one of the paintings from my Ring of Fire series. Five of these pieces are headed down to the Principle Gallery for their Small Works show that opens in early December. These are pieces that are meant to be spare in their rendering while expressing a depth of angst, though that came as an afterthought. The characters in this series are all haunted from which they are seeking some sort of relief.
Perhaps mercy for things they have done?
Maybe.
Redtree Times 