Red Dots

I love to see these berries each winter. 

Their bright orange-y red contrasted against 

the clear blue sky creates a visual dance 

for me as my gaze takes in the little orbs vibrating

in the breeze, foreground to back.

The winter birds love the berries, which provide

them with a source for food; as the winter progresses

they will gather in the trees, gorging on the tiny fruit.

As I took these pictures, I was caught up in how 

the berries' variation in size,

created by their distance from the lens 

made for a rhythmic composition, 

one that teased my eyes into following

their little shapes around the frame.

There is an artist, Yayoi Kusama, whose obsession 

with dots has resulted in a wide range of work

using polka dots as the theme. Who'da thought that

the humble dot could have such possibilities,

resulting in paintings, sculptures, and installations

the world over? In fact, the renowned French company,

Louis Vuitton, based a recent collection on 

Ms. Kusama's work, a promotional video 

for which is shown below.

After looking at the berries and Kusama's work, 

I find myself becoming more interested in the dots,

noticing them in the swarming trail of bubbles 

I swim in as I follow another swimmer in the pool

each night. Sometimes, they support me,

raising me up in the water, making it easier to swim.

Mostly though, they are a warning that I am getting 

a bit too close. Either way, they are my friends,

just as Yayoi Kusama's are hers.