by Joni Abilene
On the first night of her lover’s new painting Jane said, “Is it Picasso exploding into a harpsichord mambo?”
Joseph thought for a half-century of minutes and answered, “Hmmm, no. Try again.”
On the second night of her lover’s new painting Jane said, “A fallen angel bursting into Heaven with forgiveness on his bloodied wings?”
Joseph pulled out a Gitanes and said with a smile, “Still wrong, my dear. I’m afraid it’s a subjective piece.”
“But I’ll get it,” she said.
On the third night of her lover’s new painting Jane said, “The iceberg’s heart after it pierced the Titanic’s hull.”
Joseph grunted. He had just walked in the door and had barely taken off his rain-drenched overcoat. “You’re too eager to define the impossible.”
“Damn you,” she said, and would not kiss him that night.
On the fourth night of her lover’s new painting Jane said, “Auschwitz when it was set free.”
Joseph said nothing. They both looked out the window and watched the moon cross rooftops.
Winter passed in long days of white butterflies that speared themselves onto junipers and fighting eyelashes. It wasn’t until spring that Jane tried making another guess. She was pregnant by then, and liked to lay on the wood floor with her bare belly soaking up daylight. Her hair spread like a tapestry when she turned to Joseph, a smile on her face. “Is it me?”
Joseph touched her abdomen with a soft kiss. “It is all of us.”
6 comments:
This is a beautiful piece, full of mystery and a life thrumming beneath.
That last paragraph was beautifully written. The whole piece reminded me a little of Eric Carle.
Gentle. Strong. Nice work.
This is beautiful. Nice imagery
Did not like 'her lover's new painting' at first, not sure whether it was a noun or verb.
However, I felt as If I was in the room listening to them talking. It seems personal, intimate.
Her guesses are richly symbolic.
Thanks for sharing your work!
I think you have 'the gift,' the part you can't be taught, but are born with.
Lovely.
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