Something Unforgettable by Damon Freed

At MO Psych Center there were windows
with steel grates on the outside so no one could
jump or get a clean view. About five stories up
would do the trick but I had no notion of it there,
it was all too interesting. 

I mean on the backstreets of Brooklyn you see all 
destitute types, and in art school it’s really the same. 
You’re surrounded by human beings all having 
profound insecurities and egos the size of Jupiter.

But the ward is where it all already happened. 
That’s where the broken soldiers really went to rest.
Mental slips and suicide attempts gone awry showed 
up there in obvious fashion. 

A middle aged lady scarred by her own hand from 
head to toe, leathery skin, and 80’s rocker hair 
all up in loose hardened hair sprayed curls was my
friend. She was so happy she almost managed it! 

She said, “Boy, this time I almost pulled it off. They 
had to bring me back, but boy, I know I was a goner 
for at least 10 minutes, that’s what the doc said.” 

I could tell it took her years to build up the strength 
to get that far, or I suppose, the lack of strength to fall
that low. But I tell you, she seemed happy about it, 
genuinely happy. I think some people are just like that, 
death makes them grin. Me, well, I’m like most of us, 
somewhere caught in the middle. 

And it’s no bullshit her name was Joy, and I never 
knew a girl by that name before. And as it was, she 
elicited true happiness in me when she told her story. 
Of course, I was fearful, but, the purity of her laughter
in the face of death said something unforgettable 
about strength. I recall her neck all stitched up from 
ear to ear. I think I loved her.

I am an artist who cherishes balance, reason, and ambiguity; and I express it through a variety of working methods, from abstracted realities to nonobjective paintings of grids, I believe reality exists on the edge of perception. And while my Dad has been my best and greatest influence Agnes Martin and Brice Marden’s work are among them. 

I received my B.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts in New York City where I graduated with honors. Freed taught at two places for 10 years at the college level. His first year was in ’09. His M.F.A. is from Hunter College, City University of New York. Freed has studied with such luminaries as Jack Whitten, Marilyn Minter, David Chow, Juan Sanchez, Sanford Wurmfeld, Tobi Kahn, Lucio Pozzi, Tim Rollins, Alice Aycock, Susan Crile, Anton van Dalen, Suzanne Anker, Donald Kuspit, and Katy Siegel among others. He has been exhibited in galleries in New York City, Saint Louis, Kansas City and Columbia, Missouri. 

In writing, my influences are my mom and dad, sister and brothers, and friends, mostly. My inspirations are my family and dearest friends, and the people I meet in every direction! Freed has not been formally trained in poetry but is an avid writer of works and spoken word. He has nine books of poetry published by himself. 

You may find his collections of poetry in the Sedalia Public Library as well. 

Freed may be reached at damonfreed@gmail.com or by going to his website online.