A Valentine for Susan

I'll start this off with a backstory. You'll find the poem that goes with this caricature at the end of the text, but it's a pretty random thing without just a bit of history.

I may be cheating a bit with this one because I wrote the poem below at the same time I created this artwork. I'm submitting it anyway, though, because the challenge prompt reminded me of the fun I had with this project, 'way back in 1995. Those prompts are one of the things I love about Vocal; the inspiration comes packaged with the challenge and all we have to do is let our imaginations run amok or dig until we find that "something" that comes to mind. The latter was the case with this piece, and the poem was part of it. Here's how it happened:

As many readers may know, I spent a good portion of my young adult life in Casper, Wyoming. As a music lover, I also spent much of that time listening to the radio.

In the early 90s, KTRS FM radio in Casper, Wyoming ran a great show called "Rick and Susan in the Morning" that I listened to almost religiously. Rick Arner and Susan Burk were an incredibly entertaining team as well as outstanding journalists.

In 1993, the radio station came up with a Valentine's Day contest for its listeners. The idea was to create a valentine for your favorite KTRS D.J. for a chance at a $50 grand prize. I won the grand prize that year with a card I created digitally, containing an original poem.

I can't recall why I didn't enter in 1994, but I won the grand prize again in 1995, with another card, the cover art and contents of which are posted herein. Caricatures were and still are one of my favorite artistic endeavors, much to the chagrin of my friends and family. I've done more than I can remember and most were given away without a thought about saving a copy. I do wish I'd saved at least one of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders series. C'est la vie, non?

Both of the poems were read on the air and that was a treat. The real surprise, however, was a phone call from Susan, asking if she could have a copy of the caricature for framing. I scanned a copy and gladly gave her the original. As you can see from the image above, the resolution of my scanner in 1995 left a bit to be desired.

The original was created from a photo surreptitiously provided by Susan's husband via the radio station staff. The medium is colored pencil, worked with a charcoal stump. Here's the poem that was on the inside, along with some ornate digital embellishments:

When I wake up in the morning

Feeling more dead than alive

As another day abruptly

Has decided to arrive

And I'm needing inspiration

'Cause I've got no motivation

Then I simply tune my radio

To ninety-five point five

---

And soon the voice that helps us all

Go out and face the day

Breaks through the clouds inside my head

And chases them away

As she gives us news and weather,

Birthdays, jokes and all, together

With the tunes that go right to my feet

And send them on their way.

---

So, while I stumble 'round the house

And try to make me human,

Susan, with some help from Rick

Drives off those clouds a'loomin

And before too long I'm jumpin'

And I'm shakin' and I'm bumpin'

And I'm feelin' good before I've finished

All my daily groomin'.

---

So, even on those rare occasions

I wake up a jerk

I'm back to my old self again

By time to head for work.

With Susan on the radio,

Off again to work I go,

And that old sun is risin'

With the help of Susan Burk.

***

Thanks for reading!

This was created for the Vocal "Painted Prose" Challenge, which you can read about here: