Meg Marsden
Mum and Dad by Picasso
It was, as with all things, finalised by mother.
There had been a mulling-over,
vague discussions between her and father;
perhaps when off to France next year...?
(their fi rst trip abroad).
Dad said, We’ll see
but mum’s mind was made.
And so it came to pass, as they say.
1928 and Picasso, tanned and barefoot
commenced my parents’ portrait.
Mum, as ever, in her complex insecurity
was over familiar in the ‘great man’s’ studio.
She spoke of our Royals as if they were kin
and Pablo smiled and placed her fi rm lips
in the region of her belly.
Dad was hot and handsome and uncomfortable.
He had always just ‘gone along’ with mother’s whims.
Speaking too loud and with a fl ourish to his words
in order for the foreign Mr Picasso to understand —
he small-talked.
The Spaniard painted father’s six-foot torso
as a monumental diamond shape.
All dark blue and strangely magnificent.
On its completion dad laughed a lot
whilst mother was affronted.
Only months later did we notice,
on close examination,
a strange print, seemingly a thumb print
delicately painted on the top of dad’s hairless
and perfectly formed head.
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