Edward Michael Supranowicz

The artwork is one part of the Sweet By and By series which relates to one’s endeavor for spiritual longing.

I have always had a deep need to believe that there are deep and lasting and better things in the world and life - whether one wants to call such religion, humanity, ego ideal, or the Platonic real. And I also believe appearances cannot express our emotions, so I avoid strict representationalism, instead try to use form and color to not capture, but to allow life, to the things I feel, and by extension believe we share. — Edward Michael Supranowicz

Woman By Woman By The Creek The Creek

REGIE VOCALES REGIE VOCALES

“What do you see?” “What do you see?”

I stare at the dark silhouette startlingly visible standing by I stare at the dark silhouette startlingly visible standing by the creek under a starless sky, looking down hard as if the the creek under a starless sky, looking down hard as if the water should freeze. water should freeze.

I can feel the warm breath of my older sister in my ear. I can feel the warm breath of my older sister in my ear. “There she is. The Woman by the creek.” “There she is. The Woman by the creek.”

Who is this Woman by the creek?Who is this Woman by the creek?

Some say she is a lone traveler, a tourist, a wanderer lost on her way—searching for the right path, and the path she had crossed. She does not know where she is. She lost her way, and lost herself, and now she found the creek.

Some say she is from the village on the other side. Running from her family? From the past? Maybe she was a village thief. From her future? Maybe she was exploring. Perhaps she was hiding from her father, who forced her to marry the chief warrior, and now she found the creek.

Some say she is a nymph, a guardian of the forest, a siren of the river banks. Yet, she has no voice. She stays by the waters as if she can mimic its song. People have been wanting to see her beauty, but no one has seen her face. No wonder her legend lived because no one died by the creek.

Some say she is a caregiver, a nurturer. She goes out to far places looking for love. She wants to take everything in and wants to take care of everything. And when she thought she had cared for all, she searched for more. She found something on the creek.

“And what do you think she is?” I asked my sister. “I think she’s an artist. A thinker.

She, who travels through distance in both space and thoughts. She sets herself free from worldly inhibitions. The world is full of art—the world is her canvas. She’s fearless, peculiar, and unrelenting, and now she found the creek.”

But what is it with the creek anyway?

Some say she is a lone traveler, a tourist, a wanderer lost on her way—searching for the right path, and the path she had crossed. She does not know where she is. She lost her way, and lost herself, and now she found the creek.

Some say she is from the village on the other side. Running from her family? From the past? Maybe she was a village thief. From her future? Maybe she was exploring. Perhaps she was hiding from her father, who forced her to marry the chief warrior, and now she found the creek.

Some say she is a nymph, a guardian of the forest, a siren of the river banks. Yet, she has no voice. She stays by the waters as if she can mimic its song. People have been wanting to see her beauty, but no one has seen her face. No wonder her legend lived because no one died by the creek.

Some say she is a caregiver, a nurturer. She goes out to far places looking for love. She wants to take everything in and wants to take care of everything. And when she thought she had cared for all, she searched for more. She found something on the creek.

“And what do you think she is?” I asked my sister. “I think she’s an artist. A thinker.

She, who travels through distance in both space and thoughts. She sets herself free from worldly inhibitions. The world is full of art—the world is her canvas. She’s fearless, peculiar, and unrelenting, and now she found the creek.”

But what is it with the creek anyway?

After a full echo of silence came the sun breaking at the After a full echo of silence came the sun breaking at the corner of the horizon. This is it. I will be the first to account for corner of the horizon. This is it. I will be the first to account for a proper description of her. a proper description of her.

But as the forest gathers illumination, the woman also But as the forest gathers illumination, the woman also fades. I have to act fast. As soon as I took a step on the fades. I have to act fast. As soon as I took a step on the bedrock, the woman melts into the water, like a tower bedrock, the woman melts into the water, like a tower crumbling to dust, a sandcastle collapsing on the beach, crumbling to dust, a sandcastle collapsing on the beach, disintegrating and integrating herself into the stream. disintegrating and integrating herself into the stream.

The sun is high up now, but my mind still wanders about The sun is high up now, but my mind still wanders about the night. Who is that Woman by the creek? the night. Who is that Woman by the creek?

I realized my sister is no longer with me. Where could she I realized my sister is no longer with me. Where could she be? She must have already left before I could notice. I brushed be? She must have already left before I could notice. I brushed past branches and bushes and saw her by the area of still past branches and bushes and saw her by the area of still water, filling our tumbler for a fresh drink. water, filling our tumbler for a fresh drink.

I did not come nearer, and she did not hear me either. I I did not come nearer, and she did not hear me either. I watch her purposely refilling our water and washing our tools. watch her purposely refilling our water and washing our tools. She must be tired, yet still assures there’ll be supply for the She must be tired, yet still assures there’ll be supply for the journey home. journey home.

“Why did you leave me?” I tried to hide my anxiety. “Sorry, “Why did you leave me?” I tried to hide my anxiety. “Sorry, I thought I just had to go and do what was needed at the time, I thought I just had to go and do what was needed at the time, before the bears go by the banks for a drink.” I pursed my lips. before the bears go by the banks for a drink.” I pursed my lips.

“Did you see her face?” Probes my sister as we walk over piles of leaves. “No… I don’t think she is real.” “Yeah, that’s what the folks always say.”

But just because you can’t put a word about her existence doesn’t mean she is not real.

“Did you see her face?” Probes my sister as we walk over piles of leaves. “No… I don’t think she is real.” “Yeah, that’s what the folks always say.”

But just because you can’t put a word about her existence doesn’t mean she is not real.

“What if I tell you something people didn’t get?” She “What if I tell you something people didn’t get?” She sounds confident. sounds confident.

“What is it? Did she reveal herself to you?” Curiosity got “What is it? Did she reveal herself to you?” Curiosity got the best of me. the best of me.

“No, but a lot of people have said a lot. She’s like this, “No, but a lot of people have said a lot. She’s like this, she’s like that, but none of those made sense to me. How she’s like that, but none of those made sense to me. How would they know she is any of those? They haven’t even seen would they know she is any of those? They haven’t even seen her that many times as I did.” her that many times as I did.”

Before I can recollect myself, my sister enunciates, Before I can recollect myself, my sister enunciates,

“She is the creek. She is the water that nourishes the “She is the creek. She is the water that nourishes the underground and gives life on the surface. She can be underground and gives life on the surface. She can be contained at the same time she can’t be. She has no bones contained at the same time she can’t be. She has no bones but she can cut through the mountains. She sustains both but she can cut through the mountains. She sustains both lives of the above and below. She is soft, yet the land follows lives of the above and below. She is soft, yet the land follows her path. She has no voice, yet all creatures gather around her path. She has no voice, yet all creatures gather around her. She is only one, yet she is everywhere at the same time. her. She is only one, yet she is everywhere at the same time.

She is the stream, the rivers, the lakes, the oceans. She She is the stream, the rivers, the lakes, the oceans. She started civilizations and aided wars. She has flown above and started civilizations and aided wars. She has flown above and became the clouds, and poured back down to give life or end became the clouds, and poured back down to give life or end it all. it all.

She is everywhere and everything in between. She starts She is everywhere and everything in between. She starts and ends and starts again. She ebbs and flows to maintain the and ends and starts again. She ebbs and flows to maintain the balance. She is one, and all at once. She keeps us all alive.” balance. She is one, and all at once. She keeps us all alive.”

It dawned on me why she is inconceivable. People have It dawned on me why she is inconceivable. People have seen her and talked about her a lot, but they only do it out of seen her and talked about her a lot, but they only do it out of their own perception. People talk about her like they knew her, their own perception. People talk about her like they knew her, but not once has she ever spoken to them nor did they. She but not once has she ever spoken to them nor did they. She is ridiculed for not having a face… and some only see her as a is ridiculed for not having a face… and some only see her as a commodity. Do they really know what the Woman can do? commodity. Do they really know what the Woman can do?

I felt my heart ache as I watched the truth unfold in front of me. An awakening…

We walk home with a new understanding. I have no imagery of her face, but I now have the thought that she matters.

The creek is a woman, and the Woman is the creek.

I felt my heart ache as I watched the truth unfold in front of me. An awakening…

We walk home with a new understanding. I have no imagery of her face, but I now have the thought that she matters.

The creek is a woman, and the Woman is the creek.

ninahlupich