Children of Artists
The museum had been shuttered for months
and without the love of eyes
many of the paintings had become restless
On the day before the shuttering
Alice boldly placed Chagall and Modigliani
side by side
As the newly appointed curator
she had been warned
about these two
but she preferred to use warnings as invitations
She’d claim
her decision was made in the interest of academic study
but in truth
she was a natural match-maker
and this was a simple gesture of honesty
…
Of course
the two always paid the price for the first night
especially Chagall
He watched Modigliani stretch
then slip from the canvas
and let herself down
lightly brushing the wall
as if she were still wet
and her paint still pliable
The well hung Chagall
had fond-pondered
her perfect disproportions
and once again found himself afloat
above the gallery
They romanced their way to the far wall
then blended themselves into the yellow ochre oil
where they would story and flirt
reliving their own creation
what it was like to be children of artists
drinking with the green fairies
the spirits of passion
the ghosts of neglect
…
Alice would find them this way the next morning
embraced at their favorite table
asleep in a glow
of wormwood slumber
at Cafe VanGogh
The museum had been shuttered for months
and without the love of eyes
many of the paintings had become restless
On the day before the shuttering
Alice boldly placed Chagall and Modigliani
side by side
As the newly appointed curator
she had been warned
about these two
but she preferred to use warnings as invitations
She’d claim
her decision was made in the interest of academic study
but in truth
she was a natural match-maker
and this was a simple gesture of honesty
…
Of course
the two always paid the price for the first night
especially Chagall
He watched Modigliani stretch
then slip from the canvas
and let herself down
lightly brushing the wall
as if she were still wet
and her paint still pliable
The well hung Chagall
had fond-pondered
her perfect disproportions
and once again found himself afloat
above the gallery
They romanced their way to the far wall
then blended themselves into the yellow ochre oil
where they would story and flirt
reliving their own creation
what it was like to be children of artists
drinking with the green fairies
the spirits of passion
the ghosts of neglect
…
Alice would find them this way the next morning
embraced at their favorite table
asleep in a glow
of wormwood slumber
at Cafe VanGogh