PRAYER IN SCARLET AND WHITE PAINT
THERE is a marvellous washing
creamy and snowy-white
hung high on lines
stretched from upper and lower balconies
in the back-yard, across the narrow lane
behind my rusty apple-tree
and dusty lilac hedge;
and a great splendid ‘woman-by-the-day’
comely and fat, with a bronzed skin
and tumbled blue black hair,
and an ugly and joyous scarlet gown,
is hanging out the clothes ...
wet heavy clean white clothes ...
soft liquid splashes of light amidst dull dusty trees
and sombre dirty bricks.
The laden lines begin to ripple seductively
in the cool sour east wind.
There is no sun to-day,
but the great splashes of high-hung white,
the competent brown arms,
the comfortable strength in vivid scarlet ...
they have given me the warmth and wonder
and the refreshment
of tumbling woodland waters
and blazing sun.
I thank you ... Life!
I daub it in on a bit of canvas
(with a copy of a Botticelli madonna on the other side!)
so I may remember ......
the sordid back lane has become quite immaterial ...
I thank you ... Life!