Shoot Me – If You Can
Shoot me!
That is what she whispered to me.
Loud and clear. Looking into my eyes.
Yes, you heard right:
“Shoot me.”
I continued to paint.
Trying to ignore the voice.
Falling more and more in love with her image.
Her gentle presence.
And her calm and confident being.
Silently she kept insisting: “Shoot me.”
Probably noticing my hesitation
she added softly
“If you can…”
I kept wondering what she meant.
“I know it is a lot to ask, but
it is important.”
The request is clear.
She is not begging or whining.
Proudly demanding.
Kindly and wisely guiding me.
She has a plan.
Since finishing the painting part
and waiting for the stretcher frame
I have been asking myself:
Can I?
Could you?
This is a photograph of the kudu cow that has asked me to paint her portrait – read more about it HERE.
You can read about how the painting started in one of my previous blogs: There is a kudu in my studio
Imke Rust 
No, I could not shoot her with a gun, or kill her in any way. I could, however, shoot her with a camera provided she stood still long enough for me to capture her 🙂
Capture me in your minds eye,
reflected in an electronic frame
shoot me, capture me, but do not kill me
for I deserve the soil beneath my feet.
Shoot me, if you can, capture me in paint
leave my head off the wall and my blood off your hands
for I walk the earth as Mother Nature intended
and whisper secrets in the wind for those who listen.
Shoot me —
if you dare.
Wow, Indigo Spider, what a really beautiful and moving poem! I love it! Thank you for writing it and sharing it with us! I have goosebumbs now!
As I explained in my previous comment to Cosmic DrBii, she actually meant: now that you have painted me, shoot me (the painting). I would not be able to shoot a real kudu, but shooting the painting of her seems equally challenging. I have thought through many different options and hope/trust that I will be able to understand and figure out exactly what she wants and do it. 🙂
Interesting development………could it be ‘shoot’ as in ‘camera shoot’? Wonderful painting: beautiful, strong and haunting.
Thank you – I am so happy when people like my art!
I have been spending the past few months thinking a lot about why people hunt and am again and again pointed by the universe to confront that question and find an answer for myself. I have also for several years explored the inherent power and energy of art and art making, to be used for healing, transformation or manifestation.
So to me it was clear, that when she said shoot, she meant it in a very literal sense. BUT not to shoot the animal, but the painting of her. Which should make it a lot easier, because I am not trying to kill an animal, just shoot a at a piece of canvas with some paint on it, resembling an animal… but even that is quite daunting. I will have to figure out if and how I can do it, or if I can find another alternative. 🙂
Perhaps shoot it with a paintball gun? Just a thought 🙂 You are welcome for the poem, the muse was active this morning when I was writing a response so there you are — the kudu is speaking to both of us now 🙂
She is quite vocal and adamant, isn’t she 😉
:-). No, i couldn’t. What a beautiful post dear Imke! Maybe she wanted you to write this poem xxx
Maybe she wants everybody to look into her eyes and consider if they could or not? I guess she wants me to go through all the motions: photographing, painting, writing and shooting…
Thank you, Jutta. So happy you like the poem/writing.
Freue mich auf morgen! xxx