Grotte Chauvet, in the South of France

https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/horses-fresco/rQE_FzwjhB5e9Q

Mankind has been representing the world in two and three dimensions for 30,000 years and most probably further back in time.  These representations maybe realistic, or impressionistic, or simply patterns that have symbolic meaning.  Clearly some had religious or educational significance, but most certainly it was often just for viewing pleasure.  Creativity and artistry is inherently human.  Other creatures may be taught to play with paint and brush, other creatures may sway with music, some may be taught to sing, and birds may mimic a tune, but none create art.  None find it within their very being to produce something non-functional for the simple purpose of pleasing each other.  The cave art shown in the link above,  is offered as man’s first mural.  It is very good art and is quite remarkable when viewed in the context of time and as we ponder this intrinsic capacity of humankind.  As I’ve been sharing my poetic view of works of art, I thought it may be interesting to go back to a more primitive time and bring this art to life in poetry.  As I contemplated what to say, I wondered if these primitive artists and their patrons were not so different from us, connecting with the world with the tools and capabilities they had at hand.

Our World

There is no time
There is now and forever
There is all I’ve seen and done
For this is my life
I’ll show you on these walls
In this world that is for now home
With no limits, no boundary
Shared with these creatures I can draw
I give them life on these walls
Without me they have no name
It is I that can give them immortality
I that give them value
With my eye, my mind, my hand
As I was taught by my elders
And I will teach my young
It is who we are
It is who we’ll always be
It is our world, and we can create
It is in us, we are in part of it
It is our world
Come see, see what will be
Come see forever
Our world