Art gives me confidence though I am usually scared to show my work.
(Patsy Fata)

Acrylic’s Novice by Mere Taito

To beg and borrow
Without shame or conscience
Is the way of the apprentice.

Dali,
Will oblige and rise
Relinquish his stool of surrealism
Offer caution for this complex form
Rembrandt,
From his grave,
Will order the nachtwacht down
Erase its images
Behold a canvas
And silence the anguish of Nederlanders
With a sharp rap
Of his brush handles
Van Gogh
Will gift wrap his insanity
Pray that it will work its
Magic for the apprentice
As it did for the Irises
Throw in his straw hat and smock
For good luck

Toon Tieland
bless his soul
will part with his goose and
easel, Italian and still sturdy.
Irami,
His palette knife and versatility
Mcnamara,
The whites on his sacred paths and a hint
Of a smile
Ledua
His orgies of astrals and lagoon greens in Daucina
Tevita,
The source of mimosa, bu and companionship

Nature will surrender tubes of
Rose madder from the kapui
Pthalo green from the apea
Cobalt blue from the skies
Terracotta from clay and
Mars black from coals

The Spinifex
Will shoot their dots and motifs
From across the Tasman
To the cry of the apprentice,
They too will be gracious

She will horde their gifts and charity
Hibernate for days
Mixing her shades and hues
Painting her masterpiece of gratitude
Drawing sustenance from Tora’s tunes
Emerging only to beg the kapui and heavens
‘Give me more rose’!
‘Give me more cobalt’!

Complete,
The protégé will stand back
Release the strings of her apron
Size and eye her creation self-consciously
A journey to greatness
And wish she were already on it
Fong,
Ever so gently, will find it a home
A welded canister
Tevi and Buck
Will ribbon and bow it
With
Pule’s vines