Pleine Aire Zoe

Zoe has learned me many a lesson

And on this particular breezy summer’s afternoon
when all the aprons had been tied
and all the lake had been swum
when the new bag of art supplies
had been rifled through
and the tippy cup of wash water
most carefully had been walked out to the chairs
with flowers gathered for the table
and sketchbooks opened
to their brand new pages one
the old artist grandmother
who had been preparing
to introduce her bright young student
to some slightly more formal course of study
had settled on just the right brush
and arranged the watercolor tin on the arm of the chair just so
she looked up and with a great
preparatory throat clearing ahhummmm
to begin the lesson
she looked over to the opposite chair…

where the eager eyes
of that junior artiste
were laser focused on the objects before her
and the fingers had firm grasp of the chosen brush
which was dipping in and out of the palette of colors
with a clear confidence of purpose and design.

Ahhhh well then.

To be reminded that
the newest of humans
are as close to that magical gift of creativity
as they ever will be
and it is always best
to sit back and watch
and listen
and just be there
to help haul their water cups.