Monday, November 14, 2016

Jan Dean # 10 Low Tide

 
Low Tide


One of a few saving graces
in my doctor’s waiting room
a moment in time, replicates
a beach painting
by Clarice Beckett, depicting a girl
in a red swimsuit and white sunhat, looking back
to a skiff, deciding whether she’ll use it.
In a brave gesture of composition
Clarice places a sailboat
just below the top frame
hovering on a strip of blue sea
as if vibrating its whiteness
into precious glare. No matter how many times
I see the image I am taken aback.
In splendid haze, tension between
sailboat, skiff, sunhat and a strip
of white sand on the bottom frame
traps someone who should be forewarned.
Is the lagoon-like water ingoing or out?
As for the red-suited child, will she
or won’t she? However many
blinks, cannot decide.

3 comments:

  1. Terrific! Now the painting please! :)

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  2. The structure of this is so good and the shape. Thank you, Jan. And I love Becket's work so much.

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  3. This is beautiful. Evokes Clarice Beckett's work wonderfully - I enjoyed piecing the image together in my mind as the poem unfolded.

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