There’s something about paintings that call you into the gut of their landscape, invite you to look around, then lead you down many paths, widening your sense of humanity, your hope, convincing you, finally, that this whole enterprise called life, is one colossal, possible, divine painting. (Here’s to all the inspired painters who keep posting their work. Here’s to the Great Painter.)
The Painter
Look how an ocean toned canvas
makes the sea star scarlet.
Look how the ash from last year’s fires
brings a crop of bees to the blooming ground.
Look how the young rose
grows, safe under the wild cover of weeds.
Look how often the colt falls in the pasture
to find its walking legs.
Look at all the weepers at the water’s edge,
abruptly thrilled by what’s washing up.
Look how the flooded river
brought them all together.
Look how an injured wind
sweeps the town square clean.
Look how you thought everything depended on a kiss
at the darkened exit of the school gym.
Look how the cake makes you think of coins in wax paper,
makes you think of your mom.
Look how stopping at the point of wanting more,
makes the wine finer.
Look, we thought everything was falling down,
but it’s really just us, half-built.
Look, I’ve spent oh two hours writing this poem
and a lifetime thinking about it, while you, daily,
daub your brush in the city’s powdered cinder
and crimson spillage,
paint us with more and more light.
Lovely way to begin my day today Stephen! Thank-you for your brilliant images. It made my eyes moist to think about coins wrapped in wax paper baked into cakes!
Thank you so much, Carol.
This all makes me smile, Stephen 🙂 I’m thinking about the colt who stumbles on its way to surety. Makes me think of me, with hope.
Thank you!
I’m happy about that, thank you, Ann.