Faith in nights

 Before I paint, I need to gesso my canvases.  Normally people use white gesso, but a few months back I bought some black gesso out of curiosity, wondering what difference it might make if I start with a black canvas rather than a white one (here's a current unfinished example).

And I find that I enjoy the dark canvas more: that the work that flows onto it feels more me, that I am less tempted to follow patterns set by other artists, and that -- well, it's just fun!

All of which made more sense, somehow, when I read this Rilke poem this morning:


You darkness, that I come
from I love you more than all the fires
that fence in the world,
for the fire makes
a circle of light for everyone
and then no one outside learns of you.

But the darkness pulls in everything:
shapes and fires, animals and myself,
how easily it gathers them --
powers and people --

and it is possible a great energy
is moving near me.
I have faith in nights.