Haiku-A-Day December Challenge #22: Art is Not A Privilege

I am joining Elisabeth from The Dirigible Plum in writing a Haiku-A-Day during the month of December.

Haiku-A-Day December Challenge #22: 

Art is Not A Privilege 

Last night I attended an exquisite art show curated by my smart and talented friend Chloé Allyn. As I was casually chatting with a few people, I spied a button that local artist Cristian Andersson had fastened to his jacket: Art is not a privilege. 

This is worth retyping: Art is not a privilege.

Several hours after the show, I could not stop thinking about Cristian's button and its powerful message. For me, art encompasses so much - writing, photography, poetry, making music, sculpture, painting, sewing, building... creating. Unfortunately, art is not always valued in our schools and in our society. In my experience, creating art occurs after work is done, and often instruction is only available to those with the financial means and time. Yet it is an outlet for healing. It inspires worthy conversations, revealing new perspectives. It enables deeper meaning. 

I went to bed last night still thinking about it and it persists on mind today, inspiring a series of Haiku:

Pause. Button message 

spools in mind: Art is not a 

privilege...ponder

why must some kids earn

time to create after math?

Art instruction wanes.

Opportunity 

differs among groups. Why must

we value rote skills?

Meaning resides in 

art. Beauty holds purpose too.

Magnify response.