New Artist Highlight for June 7th, 2014

Jun 7, 201411 min read

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DailyLitRecognition

Published: Jun 7, 2014

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Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome!

It's the next edition of the New Artist Highlight!

This time around, our lovely featured artist is the talented saltwaterlungs! With a knack for metaphors and a gift with words, this girl has me hooked, and I'm sure she'll hook you, too. So, my lovelies, shall we begin?

Why did you start writing?

My parents read to me from a young age, and I started writing shortly after. I never had a reason why I wanted to write, I just did. The reason I continue to write today is because of my teachers' and parents' encouragement and nourishing of this talent and ache I had.

What is your inspiration?

Inspiration comes from everywhere, and there is nothing more corny or true than that saying. I write about people I see, I write about my emotions, I write about friends, I write about completely made up scenarios. Short answer: everything.

What is your favorite piece in your gallery? And why?

This question is very difficult for me because I really like my work. Right now, I'd say that symphonymelodies are etched into our palms
and harmonies are stuffed
between each vertebrae.
our bodies sing to each other,
and we are deaf composers
with a knack for symphonies. my favorite. I love the imagery I used here and the extended metaphor. I think it's one of my best.

What is your impression of dA and DailyLitRecognition so far?

I've been involved on dA for about two years now, and I love it here. The literature community is kind and supportive, always willing to help, and the people are full of good ideas. DLR is succeeding at being the DLD replacement, even improving it. I find that I like the pieces being featured now much more than I liked the DLD features.

Let's end with a silly question! If you could have one mostly useless superpower, what would it be?

_{(for example, any writing/drawing implement you hold will never dull/run out of ink...but only if you hold it in your non-dominant hand[or feet, if you're ambidextrous] and this would only be mostly useless because you could learn to write/draw with your non-dominant hand[or feet!])}

I'd like the power to run really fast but only backwards.

nicomy birdcage boy, you’re letting
your rusty inhibitions bar you in,
and if you didn’t tie that phrase
“i don’t deserve it” round your neck
and tug at those knots like a leash
whenever you wanted something,
you would have the entire galaxy
cupped in your palms.
and, my birdcage boy,
you do deserve it. _{Heartfelt and sweet, this piece showcases a beautiful use of metaphor.}

smile vignettesi. the corners of his eyes crinkle and his teeth look like a camera’s flash against his dark hair.
ii. he smiles at their attempts to make him laugh. but when they pull out a terrible corny joke, his eyes crinkle in the corners and he has to sit down. the joke has replaced his knees with Jell-o. he puts his head in his hands; that smile he has is contagious.
iii. she only smiles because everyone else is.
iv. she nods, then smiles, says “yeah”, and then delves back into her thoughts.
v. his arm floats above his girlfriend’s waist. when he looks over his shoulder, his friends cover their mouths to disguise their laughter, and he tries to smile too. he turns back around and keeps the same smile plastered on his face as he listens to his girlfriend and her friends jabber.
vi. they nod seriously, but when their teacher’s back is turned, their masks crack.
viii. he smiles, looking at the girl with her arms crossed, his own arms open wide.
ix. they all glance at_{Who doesn't love a smile? And a good vignette? You get both in these beautiful literary snapshots.}

SaltwaterI was born of the sea,
And, no, that's not a metaphor.
My mother could see the ocean
From her hospital window
Just as her mother could,
And my father's mother could
Long before her.
But before we had found our home,
We came from deserts and forests
And had to follow the aching moans
For waterwaterwater
Straight to the sea:
The whispering and soothing sea,
The roaring and ripping sea!
And she is what binds us:
Her gritty bits of sand grinding between our teeth,
And her salt in the crevices of our collarbones
We craved these before we came,
And we will crave these after we leave
Because saltwater washes through our veins
And that's not something easily forgotten._{A beautiful piece, and like the sea she describes, not easily forgotten.}

And that concludes the first part of this article...

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...and now, for something completely different.

What's new?

Since the last article, I've been doing my best to keep tabs on new works by new deviants to feature in this section! Here are a few notable works:

baby, I'm starvingKnife and fork in fist
at the table I wait,
served up for me
your heart on a plate. _{A succinct and intriguing look at love, this is only one of many fantastic works by the spectacular new addition to dA's literary community of deviants.}

hyperioni want to live like a redwood tree-
even if fire sears me bare and empty,
a thousand years later
i will still be growing. _{Another short piece, but absolutely gorgeous in how it simply conveys a desire to, not avoid the hurts of this life but, to weather the storms and continue on with the journey.}

:thumb456289885: _{You can almost hear the sea, taste the salt and smell that briny seaweed smell of the oceans when you read this piece. Stunning.}

Being Okay Is The Hardest Thing We DoBeing Okay Is The Hardest Thing We Do

because being okay is expected,
if we’re not okay, that’s not okay,
what can we do to be okay?
we can scribble illegible words
on a canvas made for by painters
masquerading as notebook paper,
and hope that we can sell the burn
of stinging emotions for some paper.
but the funny thing about that thought?
is that american money isn’t paper,
it’s 75% cotton and 25% linen fibers.
so even the money you'd earn from your misery,
isn't anything you can write on
when you realize your money isn't
made to heal. even if it does talk.
but it never really ever says enough, does it?
But that's okay...
being okay is the hardest thing we do
because sticks and stones do break bones,
but you can hide the scars
with a jacket or longer sweatshirt.
or put on pants as opposed to athletic shorts.
words kill, words heal, and words are so much more.
and you can't hide the scars that riddle your face,
the way your _{This is one of those pieces that I think everyone needs to read. It's message is a powerful and important one. We're not always going to be okay, but that's fine.}

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Thank you to the lovely saltwaterlungs for answering my questions, and a big thank you to all of you reading this right now. If anyone wants to suggest any artists for future features, please feel free to note me(draecana). The only stipulation is that they have to have been on dA for 2 years or less. It's all about spreading the love to new artists. <3

Until next time,

and all my love,

Sylvia -- draecana

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