13 July 2012

A long day has come to pass,

Inky fingers entwine, push against one another, cracking quietly as

the artist stretches,

he rubs at his eyes, transferring a wash of colour onto his hot red

cheeks, bright from the strain of artistic adrenalin

the room is silent now, if not for the light popping of the fire

and a cat in the corner, purring gently as she sleeps, and dreams of

things that only felines do

The artist is in a trance-like daze, pulling back from the imaginary

world that he has occupied

Is a life wasted, if spent on dreams?

This room feels so strange, yet so familiar, so dull, yet welcoming

A glance at the clock betrays the time, it's already morning

He stares at his work, taken aback by the lines, the vivid image

spilled out on the canvas

As if admiring someone else’s art; he marvels at the complexities

the subtle washes, the brights, the darks

His dreams are there, bleeding into the canvas

and he feels nothing but exposed

He shivers slightly, picks up the painting, and places it carefully

into the fire

The smell of burning paper, and traces of paint fill his nostrils

It's cleansing that fire, the heat, the warm orange

So inviting, yet deceivingly hostile

He breaks the spell

Breaks free from his dreams, from his art

Returns to his life of mediocrity

and secrets

Till he dares to dream again

shanwanThe Artist • Opuss № I