Self Portrait

WomenOutside_09

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                                                                       Self Portrait

                                             No lay off from this condensery.--Lorine Niedecker

                                             Peach floor, pale yellow walls

                                             art teacher sits patiently

                                             waiting for end of hour.

                                             Be here in mundane space

                                             or fly away imaginary--I fly

                                             away, smoke a Rothman or

                                             Galoises on the Seine.

                                             Sky's cloudy grey back in art room

                                             pictures of van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso.

                                             My self portrait in colored pencil, cartoonlike,

                                             stares back.

                                             Lips funny shaped, nose nonexistent

                                             eyes electric blue, cheeks rosy--

                                             she wears fuzzy fuschia sweater

                                             hair pulled up in ponytail.

                                             She is me at 29, compassionate

                                             wanting to succeed, she is shy--

                                             I mean I, I drew this image

                                             I am the I of this portrait.