i saw a man crying in front of rothko
in a room that was very empty –
the gallery attendant turned away
fiddled with his kandinsky cufflinks
muttered obsequiously as if
diffuse ambient light filled the space
between them
“if you are only moved by color relationships
then you miss the point”
outside the crying man’s confusion
orange, red, yellow, light orange
were but cacophonous caprices –
untamed plains of discontinuity in
a burnished mirage
then why do you cry? I asked
is it because you see your soul
upon the canvas
laid bare?
“i am interested in expressing
the big emotions –
tragedy, ecstasy, doom.”
the gallery attendant clicked and scraped
impatient black leathered heals –
coughed politely and
pointed to his wristwatch
in a room that was very empty
in front of rothko
Art Credit: Mark Rothko No.5/No.22. Quote: Mark Rothko
