elements of an expressive face

Childhood memory, listening to a pastor in my church guide us through a workbook.

Picture of an eye inside, drawn sideways, with straight lines behind the eye indicating its focal length of its gaze, guileless in its depiction, the way 1990s Christian art tends to be - utterly representational in earnest acceptance of the honesty of the Bible, yes Eve did bite into the apple and now we Know.

The pastor says that the focal lengths represent - something like faith, perspective of God’s intentions? He ends with the statement “and this actually what happens and is real.” I was around 6 years old then.

I don’t think about this memory until I was old enough to Know.

EYES

When I’m stressed, I take care to look out of the peripheral of my eyes and it calms me down. Something to do with the parasympathetic nervous system, I like to imagine my nerves stretch out and relax.

MOUTH

I heard

the wetness of the corners

the parting and unparting of the plumpness also

when you say what you watched last night on tv

yes that character was a shame

but what you’re actually saying is

look how close we are

hear the teeny tiny noises of our lips

as we yap

The setting of intention when one puts on that lipstick/gloss. Utter promise of it.

Vibrancy that characterizes the face, the fine outline of your feelings as the two half moons purse, tilt upwards, gape.

Mindset change. Suddenly: demon hunter.