The Artist

These are the lyrics to a song that a friend shared with me and i loved it so much i posted it on my other blog, Mosaic of Grace. The name of the song is "The Artist" by Mike Johnson. It was on an album from the 70's. Neither the song nor the singer ever made the big time and that is a shame because these words are beautiful. The Artist paints a landscape,filled with trees and mountains,colors of joy all around.Sheep and deer and lions living together,two children playing on the ground.The vandal hammers in,crosses out the picture,blood red paint dripping down;he hands the children brushes and he calls the paint wisdom,they spread the colors all around.Blood and paint mingle,the colors run together;you can't tell art from happenstance.The children are crying and they know they must be dying --who will give them another chance?The Artist paints a city,scenery's still pretty,children and babies play;the painting has been marred and the edges have been charred,but there's beauty in youth anyway.The vandal hammers in,crosses out the picture,blood red paint dripping down;he hands the children brushes and he calls the paint wisdom,they spread the colors all around.Blood and paint mingle,the colors run together;you can't tell art from happenstance.The children are crying and they know they must be dying --who will give them another chance?The Artist paints a manger,the birth of a baby,and puts his brushes away;he steps into the pictureand he touches his creations and he lives with them day by day.A hillside has been painted where a cross is standing on which the Artist dies;the vandal is leering from behind the jeering of a thousand painted eyes.To the horror of the vandal,the Artist is standing,brushes and palette in his hand;he erases the vandal and all who believe him --paints the beauty of a thousand lands.He touches the children,every face is smiling,then he steps inside,with the kiss of his lips and the touch of his breath the children in the painting come alive!The Artist paints a landscape,filled with trees and mountains,colors of joy all around.Sheep and deer and lions living together,children are playing on the ground.He touches the children,every face is smiling,then he steps inside;with the kiss of his lips and the touch of his breath,the children in the painting come alive.