Transcending Light

This journey has to be travelled alone,
Mixing many tones of muted colours,
The canvas is covered with a sense of urgency.

Totally unaware of happenings around me,
I am there in the land of paint.
That's where I want to be.

I stop and look for a long time, my eyes straining.
Beneath those muted colours
I know there is light.

Agitated I proceed to scrape off,
Dig out, layer and rub away the paint
In order to see what lies beneath.

Cadmium orange, burnt sienna and Indian red
Are old friends.
Alas something from the beginning is lost.

Persevere and continue on.
There is no turning back.
Now I feel I cannot make a mistake

Grateful and relieved
Knowing that it was worth it after all
I have arrived at my familiar place.

Charlotte Kelly