Eileen Shaw
The Arcimboldo Effect
I dream of drinking red wine in a field
in blinding sun. I understand the principle
of shape obeying eye-to-eye,
contours firming for your hands,
old shadows split by new light,
faces in trees, stones and animals.
They say it can’t be done
to make the vertical and horizontal meet
or hold two images at the same time.
But you could make another thing of me,
construct a newly-soldered point
for every arrow in my history.
Read all my poetry and press my hand,
under the table, touch my knee.
Ask if my dress will open down the front.
It will. Simulacra of lovers in the folds
are shaken out like grass, returned
to the ranks, soldiers of a rich imagination.
You images warms me, hugs me round,
likes on every inch of me, like skin.
Finds me as I chance the traffic lights,
and other moments left to chance or mystery.
The slender line between truth and illusion
is broken easily.
in blinding sun. I understand the principle
of shape obeying eye-to-eye,
contours firming for your hands,
old shadows split by new light,
faces in trees, stones and animals.
They say it can’t be done
to make the vertical and horizontal meet
or hold two images at the same time.
But you could make another thing of me,
construct a newly-soldered point
for every arrow in my history.
Read all my poetry and press my hand,
under the table, touch my knee.
Ask if my dress will open down the front.
It will. Simulacra of lovers in the folds
are shaken out like grass, returned
to the ranks, soldiers of a rich imagination.
You images warms me, hugs me round,
likes on every inch of me, like skin.
Finds me as I chance the traffic lights,
and other moments left to chance or mystery.
The slender line between truth and illusion
is broken easily.
Page(s) 32
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