canary

Christy’s house makes pictures

with light

through different objects

I saw one this morning on the floor

by the stairs, a canvas of strained sun

through lace on the front door

I didn’t know it then but the picture

was not only lace light

on the floor, but sun filtered through a garden spider’s web

spun on the screen door with a new middle every morning

because it eats it up at night

(we’re not sure why)

I didn’t know or think of it till now

but that picture was also light

sifted through the tall wall of sunflowers

Christy planted to cover up the street

In French a sunflower is called a tournesol

Because it “turns” toward the sun

The gold finches donning bright yellow

feathers for summer flap light

through their sharp black wings

and like to hang out in the dark centers

of the sunflowers, pining for seeds

spilling them down the walk to the porch

which leads back to the black and yellow spider

one the screen door

rewriting the x’s down her web right

through breakfast. Now it’s lunch.

No I don’t think I’ll go back to see

I’ve painted the whole picture