A slash of Blue, a sweep of Gray, some scarlet patches on the way…

 

“How strange that nature does not knock, and yet does not intrude!”~ED

 Emily does to me what Nature does to her. She visits me at the most unexpected times, uninvited; out of context visits which I love and entertain. I started a new painting with the fishing boats of Mui Ne in mind. Mui Ne is a small coastal fishing town in the Southeast of Vietnam, four to five hours drive from Saigon. While filling my palette and mixing the creamy hues all the while enjoying the smell of  acrylic paint, giving a stroke and a slash here and a sweep there on the canvas with the knife, I hear a knockless knock!  Here comes Emily murmuring ”A slash of Blue, a sweep of Green, some scarlet patches on the way’. That’s why I said ‘out of context visits’.

 

A slash of blue, a sweep of green

some scarlet patches on the way

 

 

A slash of Blue—
A sweep of Gray—
Some scarlet patches on the way,
Compose an Evening Sky—
A little purple—slipped between—
Some Ruby Trousers hurried on—
A Wave of Gold—
A Bank of Day—
This just makes out the Morning Sky.

Emily Dickinson

What a splendid yet simple tribute to the evening sky as well as the morning sky.  I imagined them as two beautiful women unique in their own ways. Who is more gorgeous of them both?

A slash of Blue, a sweep of Gray

The evening sky looks subdued but the undertones are not to be mistaken. When the whole ambience changes once the scarlet patches march in and conquer, she too changes her countenance.

Just like a master artist’s  three or four brush strokes Emily paints the portrait of the Evening sky and the rest is left to our imagination. Simple she sounds, composed and mellowed and not too flashy.  Unlike the Morning sky who has a chestful of gold to adorn with, Evening sky doesn’t possess waves of gold. I feel once dusk passes Evening sky has her diamonds and silver to bank on.

 

 

 

 

 

Morning sky as usual is always in a hurry… she puts on some colours quickly; make up, costumes et al. A little purple, some ruby trousers, the focus being the glittering wave of gold.  She soon decks herself up with the radiant yellow metal as the shine and brilliance has to last the whole day.

Sun rise in Mui Ne

Sun rise in Saigon, on the banks of Saigon river

Not a blog post of mine is complete without Emily’s presence. A blog on the fishing village Mui Ne is still waiting, giving way to another Dickinson poem. December is too soon here. Eleven months just sped by! December, I welcome you with open arms and a little flower.