the artist, the stained glass, and the distant blonde

the artist, settled
betwixt stained glass
and broken sculpture
perched
in front of a wet canvas
depicting an orange sky
disfigured trees
and a yellow sun on the ground

his appearance dominated
by a drunken sneer
surrounded by gray stubble
and uttering such infuriating rubble
touting his imagined talents and conquests
to unfortunate observers and passersby

a distant blonde
reminds him of the love
he missed
the girl who wanted him
when she was still a girl
and he was still attractive
but he did not need her
then

there would always be the possibility
to need her later
to love her later
once he was settled
among his stained glass
broken sculpture
and wet canvas

buried under faded possibilities
faded memories
and fog of alcohol
he vaguely remembered
the college cohort
who called this morning
to inform him of the death
of his lost love

desperate
he reaches for his brush
as though reaching for her
but paints only
a distant blonde

c. 2012 Janet L. Brown

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