|
Love in her eyes sits playing
Her painted face looks perfectly at me
From its intricate mother of pearl frame;
They say that love in her eyes sits playing
But I study the picture in vain.
Her even features, serenely oval,
Accept my gaze with blank disengagement;
He thought that love in her eyes sits playing
But I'm detered by this detachment.
Pure and still, she stares at me,
Fixed in paint and hung in a public place;
What is this love in her eyes that's playing?
Why can't I find this grace?
Beauty, frozen in paint, can't pass for love,
And immaculate stillness misses the living centre;
The title 'Love in her eyes sits playing'
Belongs on a different picture.
|
This painting, titled 'Love in her eyes sits playing', was painted by
F. Pickford Marriott in 1902.
Gesso and mother of pearl with semi precious stone, it hangs in the Queensland Art Gallery.
I like both the painting and the title, but, somehow, they just don't seem to belong together.
One of my readers said --
The painted lady is enigmatic, blank, detached, surely
not in love playing -- not sitting playing, pretending
love. What the artist painted, the poet is not seeing.
The poet loves the painting, but does not wish to
participate in allowing 'that' look to register as a look
of love.
I am delighted with the poem as a tour through a museum,
perhaps with friends, gay, a Saturday afternoon on the town,
defenses down, quick appraisals looking for enjoinders, "Yes,
I agree ... you are right .. look over here at this one!"
Don
|
Return to Tirra's index
Try Tirra's choice
© 1998
Please do not copy this without my permission
I would be happy to hear your thoughts
You can contact me at:
Email
|
|
|