Edward Hopper, Morning Sun
Dance of Life
The geometry of
light and shade:
Early morning begins, like
a contusion—
A new day’s mournful promenade
Of pain, broken
promises, confusion,
Which register as layers
of rectangles
Where a woman’s
heart, light as a feather,
Is chained like
supple limbs by bangles
Or lissome footloose
feet by leather.
The dance of life,
how like a minuet,
So classical, so—shall
we say—Euclidian:
Often a solo, seldom
a duet,
And only rarely Dionysian.
Later, long afternoon shadows
and light
Give way mercifully to desire and night.
Robert Forrey,
2012
