THE IDEA OF MOUNTAINS
One of the themes I play around with is the idea of mountains fading in the distance, becoming transparent and flying. I have done this through the use of Canada Geese which I have personally trained to fly in "V" formation. My goal is to encourage these majestic birds to spell my name across the sky. The most difficult letter of course is "S" because you have to get two flocks to fly in opposite directions on a near collision course.
Making My Mark at the Top
My name is Stefan des Lauriers, (to rhyme with "day glory day") and I am a retired Canadian jackhammer operator who enjoys composing Supersonic songs. My work mirrors the antics of a disenchanted yodeler who attempts to conquer Mt. Everest with a portable jackhammer. When the allegorical chips were down, the artist spent 17 years trying in vain to retrieve them, and in the process lost his voice when a routine yodeling echo failed to return. The story surrounding these effusive endeavors is the stuff mountains are made of. My lofty and somewhat illusive goal is to scale the "Metaphorical Everest," and make my mark at the top.
RETURNING TO THE SCENE OF THE CLIMB
"The least I can do is
rise with the geese"
I stepped out the back door and saw the light that
had not yet graced the earth glowing in the wings of geese. I thought "The
least I can do is rise with the geese."
This is about returning to the scene of the climb. "When I could climb
the mountain I didn't—now that I can't I'm gonna." "I heard the
cries that came from below." Were the cries from within me, or from people
who were just down in the valley?
I once heard the saying: 'A friend is like a mountain seen
best from far away.' Then I happened on a poster of a peak with the caption:
''It's not the mountain that's stopping you; It's the pebble in your
shoe.' So I shook out the pebble and headed for the blue.
In the clear cold air of reality the mountain seems closer than it actually
is. Close to the foothills you realize what the summit stands for. You see the
mountain for the transparent thing it is—And everything it isn't.
After you've reached the peak you have to challenge your personal best. "I
don't think I'll ever rest until I've reached my Everest." I'm
not putting a human face on an impossible dream; I'm putting a Godly
face on a possible dream.
VISION OF VICTORY
A long time ago
I was on the incline
And everything above
The clouds was mine
With the summit in sight
A few steps to go
I heard the cries
That came from below
I think I'm gonna make it
I'm gonna make it
Up to you
I've made it
To the mountain
This time
I'll see it through
Stayed in the valley
Put off the climb
Mountain remained
In back of my mind
The valley grew quiet
As time slipped away
Kept telling myself
I'll make it some day
My dreams are filled
With rocks and snow
Triumphant air is thin
You go as high
As you can go
And then
Your climb begins
I'm gonna make it
I've crossed the abyss
What is this mountain
Does it really exist
The impossible pile
Of rocks that I face
Is just an old friend
I forgot to embrace
© 1995 Stefan des Lauriers