To paint a bird's portrait

First, paint a cage 
with an opened little door

then paint something attractive,

something beautiful,

something of benefit for the bird. 

Put the picture on a tree 
in a garden 
in a wood 
or in a forest.

Hide yourself behind the tree, 
silent 
immovable...


Sometimes the bird arrives quickly 
but sometimes it takes years.

Don't be discouraged 
wait, 
wait for years if necessary
. 
The speed or the slowness of the arrival 
doesn't have any relationship 
with the success of the picture.

 

When the bird comes ,
if it comes
keep the deepest silence
wait until the bird enters the cage
and when it has entered
Close the door softly with the brush
then remove one by the one all the bars
care not to touch any feather of the bird

Then draw the portrait of the tree
choosing the most beautiful branch
for the bird
paint also the green foliage and the coolness
of the beasts of the grass in the summer's heat
and then, wait that the bird starts singing

If the bird doesn't sing
it's a bad sign
it means that the picture is wrong
but if it sings it's a good sign
it means that you can sign

so you tear with sweetness
a feather from the bird
and write your name in a corner of the painting.