Pencil Studies

These studies are his riyaaz
his devoted and fervent practice
to steady his hand, to stay disciplined.
To do it over and over again
in the realm of the miniature
with the precision and patience
that the pencil demands
speaks of his humility.
Even in the practice sessions
he puts himself to the test:
can the scale of a single apple
match that of a full-blown tree?
Some sketches are incomplete.
I shall return to them
once my hand gets steadier.
But so far, he has not.
We love them in their incompleteness.