Dennis Price

German Expressionism-Max Pechstein 1881-1955
Nude Figure 1920
Graphite on paper

As my head crushed the pillow,
My last thoughts were of a nude
I had seen in the National Gallery.
Not of her ample breast,
Nor the exhibit label,
But her eyes glancing to one side,
Reckless strokes of graphite
Pulling me near….

She tore the paper and asked me to step in,
I said, “Sure,” with a grin.
I leapt into the frame
With no thought of being tame.
Those glancing eyes,
Looking side to side,
“Let’s do it here in plain sight.”
“Let’s do it here in black and white.”
Shocked by our intention,
The young and old
Took flight to another dimension. 
As she and I started to dance, 
Her eyes always in that glance,
Came the gallery guards
With little Hitler mustaches,
Their jack boots making crashes,
Kicking in pictures
That seemed anti-fascist.
We ran into the background 
Where by boots and eyes we couldn’t be found.
The guards goose-stepped by, 
We clinging together on the ground
Not making a sound.

I opened one eye  
And from my pillow 
Looked at the time.
The rhyming had stopped.
I closed my eye,
The room being dark,
Hoping to rejoin the dream’s arc

Copyright 2024 Dennis Price

Dennis Price is an unpublished poet, who by day earns money making sawdust and is a husband, father of two adult children, and a cat lover.

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