Lloyd Schwartz

from “Fourteen People, after a portrait series by Ralph Hamilton”

“Look at that yellow shirt!” “Banana.” “No . . . canary;
 
 and those vanilla slacks.” “Slack? That hard crease
 
 could hold her up.” “Neat; perfect posture. But easy,
 
 comfortable—shirt out, short sleeves, earth shoes,
 
 that mushroom-cloud of hair . . .” “What about those buttons—
 
 all buttoned; and her arms at attention, one foot forward.
 
 I bet she’s itching for a fight . . .” “Or ready for one;
 
 I wouldn’t mess with those laser slit-eyes.” “But where’s
 
 her face? It seems . . . unfinished; almost un-formed.”
 
 “She wants it that way: for surprises.” “Or secrets . . .”
 
 “Her lips (“Lips? Where?” “Don’t be funny.”) are sealed.
 
 She has to be wary.” “Chary . . . She won’t give an inch.”
 
 “She can’t—she’s on an edge. There’s nothing behind her.”
 
 “Not about to fall though.” “No, unassailable.” “Scary . . .”

Lloyd Schwartz