Our eyes turn toward light,
but shadows are vital in painting.
Their muted tones reflect
more outgoing, brassy colors
of candlesticks and copper pots.
Shadows conduct a subtle life
below surface, as dreams do.
They hold things together,
underpinning what shouts
and seeks attention
like glints on glass
or highlights on a rose.
I’m so easily distracted
by bright objects, headlines,
sharp words, the rush of daily life.
Let me notice what’s nuanced,
like your sustaining love.
Let me sense where to place
a shadow, a soft brushstroke, silence,
a kind word.
Watercolor by the artist.
