@@@@@And on the beach, at the edge of the water
@@@@@And
on the beach, at the edge of the water -
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"Christ, that's awful," Wireman said"I can't
even see it clearly and it's still awful
My right arm was itching, throbbingI
reached down and touched the picture with the hand
I hoped I would never have to see again
although I was afraid I might
"I can see it for all of us," I said
How to Draw a Picture (XI)
Don't quit until the picture's completeI can't
tell you if that's the cardinal rule of art or not,
I'm no teacher, but I believe those six words sum
up all I've been trying to tell youTalent is a
wonderful thing, but it won't carry a quitterAnd
there always comes a time - if the work is sincere,
if it comes from that magic place where thought,
memory, and emotion all merge - when you will want
to quit, when you will think that if you put your
pencil down your eye will dull, your memory will
lapse, and the pain will endI know all this from
the last picture I drew that day - the one of the
gathering on the beachIt was only a sketch, but
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I think that when you're mapping hell, a sketch is
all you need
I started with Adriana
All day long she has been frantic about Em, her
emotions ranging from wild anger at him to fear
for himIt has even crossed her mind that Daddy
has Done Something Rash, although that seems
unlikely; his grief has made him torpid and
unresponsive ever since the search ended
When sunset comes and there's still no sign of Em,
you'd think she'd become more nervous than ever,
but instead she grows calm, almost cheerfulShe
tells Nan Melda that Em will be back directly,
she's sure of itShe feels it in her bones and
hears it in her head, where it sounds like a small,
chiming bellShe supposes that bell is what they
mean by "woman's intuition," and you don't become
fully aware of it until you're marriedShe tells
Nanny this, too
Nan Melda nods and smiles, but she watches Adie
narrowlyShe's been watching her all dayThe
girl's man is gone for good, Libbit has told her
this and Melda believes her, but Melda also
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believes that the rest of the family may be
savedthat she herself may be saved
Much, however, depends on Libbit hersel