“How the Light Gets in”  12×12, oil on canvas

When you buy canvas, it sometimes comes with these little pieces of wood– stretcher keys. They are there to strengthen the canvas if it begins to sag. Never having had a need for them before, I typically throw them away. 

When I first started painting in college, I used to collage all kinds of wild things into my paintings–loose change, pencils, pages I had ripped from books. 

For day 3, I wanted to bring that back and what better way than with those little pieces of wood that come with the canvas. 

Today’s bird is standing right on the intentional crack I left between the two pieces I collaged onto the paint using the paint itself as an adhesive. I’ve scratched some of the words to Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem” into the background– it felt right.

 

The birds they sang

At the break of day

Start again

I heard them say

Don’t dwell on what

Has passed away

Or what is yet to be

 

Yeah the wars they will

Be fought again

The holy dove

She will be caught again

Bought and sold

And bought again

The dove is never free

 

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in

 

We asked for signs

The signs were sent:

The birth betrayed

The marriage spent

Yeah the widowhood

Of every government

Signs for all to see

 

I can’t run no more

With that lawless crowd

While the killers in high places

Say their prayers out loud

But they’ve summoned, they’ve summoned up

A thundercloud

And they’re going to hear from me

 

Ring the bells that still ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in

 

You can add up the parts

You won’t have the sum

You can strike up the march

There is no drum

Every heart, every heart

To love will come

But like a refugee

 

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in

 

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in

That’s how the light gets in

That’s how the light gets in

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