art is art 
if it's hard to copy 
art is not art 
if it is easy to copy 
... 
art that's hard to copy 
has ideas 
art that's easy to copy 
has no ideas 
... 
art is craft 
good craft is hard to copy 
... 
my art  
my mani's art 
is hard to copy 
not  because I am a craftsman 
I don't need to be a craftsman 
I have the secret 
of making art 
without art 
without craft 
and it's hard to copy 
no one can copy 
my mani art 
... 
for years I kept it a secret 
locked in my safe 
beside marion's panties 
I stole from her out-door clothesline 
in a moment of uncontrolled  
passion 
for me unusual 
but 
it's now on my site 
my secret 
not her panties you fool 
their mine mine 
...  
I'll tell you the secret 
that's on my web site 
five dollars and it's your's 
certified cheques only 
look for the glass bead technique 
I sprinkle them 
different coloured glass beads 
according to a secret classical formula 
of so much blue 
to so much red 
to so much yellow 
and all the colours in between 
... 
that sniffing fox  
sniffing round my safe 
looking for her panties no doubt 
I chased him round and 
round the merry-go-round 
but all I did chase  
was a papier mache 
of that wily mr. fox 
... 
back to me 
me and my art 
me and my secret 
I'll sell you the secret 
for a very cheep price 
why sell you the secret 
because you must carry on 
carry on the fight 
against that mindless 
modern academic art 
it's up to you now 
to show the world 
follow in my footsteps 
establish the mani school of 
art without art 
craft without craft 
ideas without ideas 
the mani way 
the only way 

Keith  O'Connor 
Ottawa  Canada 
2001   aug   12 
www.tinmangallery.com