Monday, December 3, 2012

EQUESTRIENNE

artwork: marc chagall


EQUESTRIENNE
by Paula Anderson
after seeing the 1931 painting by Marc Chagall

I want to ride in Chagall’s circus
embraced by the man in a green tuxedo
filling the richness in his circle of arms.

Floating atop a gentle white mare
her back plush in a paisley blue rug
cradling a fiddle beneath her chin.

Parade round the tent bare breasted
in my frock of salmon pink sequins
waving my red paper fan to the
cacophony of cheers and violins.

No tricks for us, just round and round
circling in the piles of soft sawdust
in a ring like lips on a laughing mouth.

Draw the fuchsia flower from my hair
fling it to the fiddler on the trapeze walk
and kiss the moon as we drift by.

~ first published in International Icarus, Lighter than Air