The Commission written by David Wagoner at Spillwords.com
Jan van Eyck

The Commission

The Commission

written by: David Wagoner

 

Hands dragging me from my bed.
Servants shouting, Come!
A silent man waits.
The trip through the empty streets.

The room where servants still scrub
the blood from the floor.
That lovely white face.
Margaret’s dragon

on the bed post high.
My paints thrust into my hands.
My device to tell the tale,
Two candles– one burning still,

the other cut short and snuffed
The couple parting and together
that woman, in childbirth lost—
Shown always with child,

Remains ever hopeful.

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