Mary Ellen Talley 

The Painter’s Mother Resting

after a painting by Lucian Freud

His mother would be labeled vulnerable
advised to shelter-in-place, poor woman
not so chipper after her husband died,
Covid would’ve killed the inclination
to walk or chat with neighbors. For a cure,
her son set her to pose on beige and white
chenille scallop upon scalloped bedspread,
head a dent in pillow gray hair baring
forehead, shade-dappled skin, set solemn face
above long sleeves her smooth garment repeats
design on pearly ash, the beige gold wall
draws in one color of her dress’s scroll
design, her arms bent, two hands half open,
so like her eyes dark orbs cast down, not closed.

IMMA

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