New Year’s Day

NEW YEAR’S DAY

It’s the first day of the year and the

raccoon tracks from 2 days ago are still

visible in the hardened snow.

I’ve been outside painting a group of four logs

standing upright, near each other like

Pontormo’s Visitation.

Yesterday the light was so bright on the white

snow I had to wear ski goggles while I worked.

Just now a gray squirrel leaping.

A soft black Junco

just out of view.

A Chickadee like an embellished

arrow.

Today the snow sits cold and heavy.

The lowered limbs of evergreens

barely uphold it.

I remember you saying:

“I’m a ‘parts’ guy” when I

was pinning-up my pink,

collaged body-parts.

Thank god.  

How humiliating, the need

to put it back together.

I love the way Juan Gris deals-

out the image like a deck of tarot

cards.  This, this and

this.

Your whole life is an embodiment.

No need to explain

how it fits.