Jack Scott writes

Mute, You Deafen Me

Mute, you deafen me. 
Bright, you darken me. 
Smart, you numb me. 
Gone, you haunt me.

Before you go away for good 
I need to capture you 
on canvas 
while I can 
if I can 
if you will let me.

Can you stay still long enough 
to cast a lasting silhouette, 
more than just a flickering shadow 
of your essence 
for me to render into permanence 
and, more important, will you?

I sterilize the studio, 
whitewash the gallery, 
turn up the lights, 
wash the drapes, 
set out cheese and wine 
to bait the setting 
for enticement.

Once the work is done 
the painting's gone, 
or is it? 
I saw you 
see me 
painting you,
then painting painting 
white onto a whitened wall. 
I have truly kidnapped you
and now hold you in limbo.

Can you still see me 
gazing on in adoration 
long after only some of you has gone? 
I’ll hold you longest in my mind 
whence unborn paintings come, 
where all lost paintings, painted, go, 
lost once they’re created. 
Origin is destination.
 
 Model and painter with easel -- Rafael Zabaleta