Watercolor

 

The blank white paper dares

the artist, who stares

while his ideas struggle

for expression and memories huddle

in the corner with the brushes.

 

Until the sound of water filling a jar

forces the image of a waterfall, far

away, to come into focus with mosses

wet with spray while gravity tosses

the flow downward over rocks.

 

Water flows across thirsty paper.

Then he takes pigment into the taper

of brush hairs waiting to sweep

lightly on the surface, creating deep

contours of shadow and stream.

 

Skillfully leaving open the spaces

where light reflects and the sun traces

movement in cascades and rippling

water.  A flick of his wrist for stippling

of lichens on boulders.  This thing

 

takes shape with a perfect infusion

of color into dampness, solid diffusion

into liquid, that dries with time leaving

the vision set.  The artist, perceiving

his purpose achieved, returns to dreaming.

(© 2010 Connie S. Tettenborn)