The Blue Room
My model languid leaning on one elbow
cigarette held in mouth
right arm draped across hip to thigh
camisole a fleshly pink
stretches to contain ample breasts
green stripes
on trousers subtle definition of bulge
as an afterthought two books by her feet
this woman more than flesh
I mix my paints the heavenly scent of
linseed
a sibyl ready for prophecy
my brush my arms
the white canvas spreads large before me
on the heavy easel
Days into weeks we come back to this place
this room model and artist
always the same moment
yet the canvas’ white eaten
stroke by stroke by stroke
I take days just for the window
behind her splotches of color
maybe a house or trees
perhaps it is raining
a distance I want not details
focus on woman spread
long and easy on rumpled covers
I title this painting The Blue Room
though the room unseen
just a blue coverlet draping
my model
I spread before the critics
confused not knowing to call this
portrait, genre scene or clothed nude.
– eve rifkah