At the Malevich Exhibition For Awhile

(refractions of the National Gallery, Washington D.C. Kazimir Malevich Exhibition,September 16-November 4, 1990)

for the poet sentences rise at dawn

though you wouldn't know it to look at the pictures

that are either blinding snow,snow blinding, or the absence of snow

or the absence of light is what the shadows are singing

and the eclipses, and wing tip to wing tip the origami pieces

of the black swans obliterate the semi golden crane

or I am viewed with disdain

perhaps only me thinking too much about the aureoles

or other things is this not the funeral of the Sun?

tangential things which are somehow relevant because they

are also unclear as to the source of light in the painting

or the source of no light in the painting why must I cry

we cry, dashing the tears against the absence of light

of the emigres in flight no longer

should they stand before then as before

some square of Malevich contemplating the black snows

or the circuitous rebounding of the ravens massed in

the thunderhead skies

or Chaos before Light had language

whatever are we to make worldwide

of the private declensions we have known

the forced departures, weddings from the throne rooms decreed

and then the beheadings

let the black snows accumulate

and the white conceptual rainbows dazzle on

all squares being equal in the end and courtyards

with some ballets of diamonds made portending

a possible choreography from here

whenever nightfall comes in the middle of the school day

the interminable term

the curtain descending mid Christmas on the several worlds' ends

or being but not on Grace

yet art remains a thing not to be ransomed

before a friend can be traced or disappear

or be rezoned or leave since leaving is also a home

though tears remain dashed against a stone.my tears alone.

for all things known and unknown.

pure obsidian.

mary angela douglas 29, 30 august 2021