06.19.09

acrylics and oils

he says the painting
on the wall
above the bar
is $750 but there are
cheaper ones up there too
like that one there is only
$250 or something
i say they are very nice
and go back to my beer
as this nirvana unplugged cd
keeps on
and he says
yeah, they are very nice
kind of too colorful though
but he works in acrylics
and just kind of shits the paintings out
and that’s his thing
so i don’t want to rag on him
or anything
but, me, i like to work in oils
which is a slower process
full of dense layers
so while he’s crapping out paintings
at home
and making money off of them
i’m in here pushing beer
and brooding over my work
i tell him oils are nice too
he nods
then he taps on the bar
and goes over to a cooler
to get me
another beer
while kurt cobain plays
his phantom guitar
on this half-empty night
along frenchman street, new orleans
a kneeling city beautifully painted
in dark blues and blacks
with just a touch of purple
and green and yellow mixed in
for effect.