in a few
darting shapes
the morepork is there
indistinguishable
from the pull
of the river
there is a quality
of bird-like
animation
a high level
of close
observation
markings suggest
tiny but telling
details:
vegetation configured
by water currents,
animal tracks in mud,
birdsong emerging
out of silence,
the experience
of place
as a sensuous
immersion.
In this still-life familiar devices
create a deceptively realistic picture.
The technique of cutting off objects
around the edges of the canvas
suggest the scene is part
of a larger entity;
the candlestick, extending precariously
over the edge of the table,
gives the viewer an almost irresistible urge
to set it more securely on the table,
while the matches on the right
cast a meticulously executed shadow.
The combination conveys a sense
of domesticity; gives the impression
that someone has just finished writing a letter
and sealed it with the wax lying beside the candle.