Caged Company

(a watercolour painting by a great uncle, stirs up some emotion)

Watercolour brush strokes

hide behind plate glass,

framed in antique gold

A flick of the wrist

brings about dust dispersal

captured by sunlight

Rose scented petals permeate time,

church bells resurrected, chimes resonate

through a garden in Rylett Crescent

Grape vines grow on brickwork,

velvet to touch peaches, oozing fruit

reach out to taste

I find myself in Martha's parlour,

she long gone, left a son

in canary company

Pippy pivots on artistic fingers

a caged bird's brief respite

in tune with wheelchair bound George

They chirp away happily

content in each others company,

freedom a lost memory

Reviews

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

The comparison between Pippy and George’s caged life, and their acceptance of the good in it, is profound and meaningful. Vivid, eloquent, evocative verses describing your great uncle’s watercolor is a brilliant metaphor of life behind glass. Who of us does not live behind glass? Hopefully, we learn to “chirp happily” and achieve a measure of freedom. Great write Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

Such a generous review Annette. Thank you so much.

Chris

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

You’re very welcome Chris!:))

[Lorry]

I remember thinking as a kid that we must be rich, because we had a painting with a fancy gold leaf frame, just like the ones in the art gallery. My mum later burst that bubble by telling us it cost two qu
Id from the barras market In glasgow. But I still thought it was wrongly priced and wo

[Lorry]

(continued, due to chubby finger syndrome)

.....be worth millions. Im still waiting for the antiques roadshow to appear :)
I love your description of what you see in the painting and what it means to you. The artist has surely done a great job to inspire such description.

[Chris Shaw]

My great uncle worked for Sandersons as a wallpaper designer and I used to watch him working and also painting. My mum gave me six of his watercolours when he died which I have framed. They mean a great deal sentimentally. They evoke lots of memories of the house and garden. Not just visual memories, but feelings as well. He never complained about being in a wheelchair and that canary he regularly let out of his cage to fly around the room.

Thank you for a lovely review Lorry. I pick up the odd painting or two and think I've got a bargain. Antiques Road Show? Nah, but it's a nice thought :))

Chris