The Painter

The Painter

Jeffrey Hynds

for James Stringer

A painter went out to paint.
And as he painted, some paint rolled inside the lines,
between baseboards and crown moulding.
And some paint spattered on the drop sheets.

But other paints fell into 3x4 canvases,
where his brush directed.

And these ones make me realize that the kingdom of heaven
is like a goat on a red background.
It’s like the wings of a charcoal chicken.
It’s like logic sketched in the face of Spock.

It’s like how orange pairs with blue,
which he always knew, but never let on that he knew—
only kept painting,
his colours true, his tone light.

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Jeffrey Hynds
Poet & Pastor

Jeffrey lives in Toronto with his wife and two children. He is Assistant Pastor at Grace West Mission Church.

Photography by Cottonbro Studio