Craquelure
For Penny Fuller's Part C: The A-Z of Unusual Words Challenge
My word: craquelure - a network of fine cracks in either the paint or varnish of a painting.
My connection: Well, I was going to choose crapulent, catarolysis or cockalorum as they would be quite funny. Then, I found craquelure. It made me think about my long-standing views on ageing and the high, ridiculous beauty standards placed on people, predominately by the media, big businesses, influencers and celebrities, or at least the culture and business they inhabit. Societal pressures to maintain unrealistic standards when ageing is something we all go through has never sat well with me. When I see lines on a face, I don't ever think I've thought "ew". I know that not everyone loves their lines, cracks and imperfections, whether age-related or stress-related. But, in my opinion, like craquelure that naturally develops on an old painting, the lines on a face and imperfections add to an individual, rather than making them less. Fine lines and grey hair should be admired and respected. Plus, does it matter what someone looks like? Like, really?
Craquelure
Life, we know, comes with many an up and down
it's hard some days to manage without a frown
The good, bad, ugly, pretty and worse
Will eventually, lead you to the hearse
So, why fret over the fine lines, and creases
A life lived impresses on your skin's canvas
When the painted surface of artistic masterpieces
Develop fine lines, and other imperfect creases
No one bemoans the development of craquelure
Instead, those paintings have greater allure
As the age and history of pieces of antiquity
Garners respect and admiration with dignity
A life lived, flaws and all, stress and lines
Is proof of a journey and history that shines
*
Thanks for reading!
Author's Notes: This is for Penny Fuller's Part C: Part C: The A-Z of Unusual Words Challenge.
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Paul Stewart
Award-Winning Writer, Poet, Scottish-Italian, Subversive.
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Comments (10)
I'm going to start saying, "Its not wrinkles, its craquelure", then toss my hand back and sashay away. Thanks to the add to my vocab, and the contextualization of how useful it can be.
lovely and pure
Beautiful poem💙. Also your preamble was so well said ✅. “Fine lines and grey hair should be admired and respected. Plus, does it matter what someone looks like? Like, really?” As a girl, I adored Clark Gable… especially his wrinkles!😊
Love this, Paul! What an interesting word and a compelling extension of it to apply in our own lines and wrinkles! Really liked “A life lived impresses on your skin's canvas”
A good word choice and of course, a fine, inspirational poem. Well done, pal!
Imagine if humans somehow reproduce with AI and they no longer have wrinkles or grey hair, hehehehehehe. Jokes aside, I loved your word and poem!
I mean... you could do a second one with cockalorum... just because I'm curious and too scared to google it!! 😂 That being said, I enjoyed this one too!! I love the perspective you chose and that undying message about self love!! So well done Paul!!
I like that word, and I love the poem. Well said, buddy.
What a great word. Interesting and may make you think about various things.
This is magnificent, Paul; an anthem of respect for the wear and tear life inevitably brings! I wholeheartedly agree with the respect/appreciation/acceptance of signs of age; they are indeed "proof of a journey and history that shines," as you so beautifully put it!