Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa has worn that mystical smile on her mug for over 500 years!
Who is this mysterious lady who at us from The Louvre benignly peers?
She had to sit for over four years for the artist to capture that simple pose.
Who she is and what's behind that smile, only Leonardo DaVinci knows!

She ain't the most beautiful woman to come down the pike but what the heck.
Since her genesis in 1503 she wasn't treated all that well during her dicey trek!
She's been mutilated, stolen a time or two and graced Napoleon's sleeping place.
All the while she's borne it with grace with that inane smile upon her face!

Some have said that she's the widowed Duchess of Milan, Isabella of Aragon.
Others have sworn that she's Mona Lisa Gherardini and so it goes on and on!
Signore DaVinci left no specific clues as to the name of this mysterious dame!
Through the centuries men have scratched their skulls trying to seek her name!

Was that frozen smile upon her face to hide teeth that were crooked and stained?
Or was her pose such that her posterior and sacroiliac were slightly strained?
Perhaps her compressed smile implied to Leonardo, "Hurry up and git 'er done!
You're payin' minimum wage and fella, posin' fer posterity ain't all that fun!"

Now hung upon the wall of The Louvre she's worth millions and millions of bucks.
Not bad for an unknown woman from who knows where, but here's the crux:
That beatific smile upon the homely face of Mona Lisa that Leonardo created,
And what she's smiling for will always be debated and pondered unabated!

Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
© All Rights Reserved

Tied for 3d Place in Carolyn Devonshire's "Unsolved Mysteries" Contest - Jul 2011
Copyright © | Year Posted 2011

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Oguejiofor Avatar
August 31, 2011 at 7:33 AM
Oh wow!!! what i would give to write with such imagination and creativity. Very well written. I love it.
Mehta Avatar
July 22, 2011 at 11:30 AM
My congratulations on this win in the contest of carolyn, Bob
Freeman Avatar
July 22, 2011 at 9:13 AM
Bob, well written mystery piece, Congratulations on your third place victory. Agape, Moses
Brown Avatar
July 22, 2011 at 5:39 AM
Congratulations on your well deserved win in Carolyn Devonshire's "Unsolved Mysteries" contest Bob. Love, Carol
Ramage Avatar
July 21, 2011 at 8:21 PM
Congratulations on your win. Is there anything you can't write about. Well done, always a pleasure. Lee
Dufresne Avatar
July 21, 2011 at 7:02 PM
great poem to grace the mystery contest with, Bob. Excellent and amusing form of writing about a mysterious subject. Hey glad to share again! Am honored!
Sweetheart Avatar
July 21, 2011 at 4:57 PM
Congrats Bob on your wonderful win with this Mona Lisa story ..read before and perfection of course.. congrats and enjoy my friend..luv..
Johnson Avatar
July 21, 2011 at 4:44 PM
Great verse Robert old mate, captured you have the ladies charm, Leonardo's genius painting skill, used egg yolk in the paint, was just first rate...Well done Bob... Don
Johnson Avatar
July 21, 2011 at 3:59 PM
Congratulaitons on your win and great poem about the mysterious Mona Lisa. Love, Joyce
Dietrich Avatar
July 21, 2011 at 3:43 PM
Excellent mystery choice for the contest with your usual great style and humor attached. Congrats on a well deserved win!
Mehta Avatar
July 21, 2011 at 2:57 PM
My congratulations on this win in the contest of Carolyn, Bob
Poetess Avatar
July 21, 2011 at 2:51 PM
Bob, congrautlations on your 3 place win in Carolyn's contest. That smile on Mona Lisa sure is a mystery. Love, Glenna
Fiery Avatar
July 10, 2011 at 1:07 PM
informative write ! More than that u are the winner for sure..as Sidney Hall had already said...she remained a mystery and you tried to unravell so many things in front of the readers...this was really amazing !
Buys Avatar
July 10, 2011 at 9:50 AM
Interesting, tongue in cheek humor and very well written makes for a great poem in my book. Enjoyed reading this one. Regards
Horne Avatar
July 10, 2011 at 5:18 AM
Beautiful piece indeed, Bob. Soupmail
Sweetheart Avatar
July 9, 2011 at 5:20 PM
soup mail Bob and I know ..Ron has been trying to get results info on PGA all day.. but the rain is worth it luv...
Sweetheart Avatar
July 9, 2011 at 4:50 PM
I think Da Vinci has his MOM in mind with that Mona Lisa portrait Bob ..once heard it on TV History Channel.. but since he never actually stated so it is speculation.. this piece is witty and wonderful as always my friend.. beaching it up today with these hot temps.. my new puppy luvs it as much as I do and found herself a beau ..oh..
Kendrick Avatar
July 8, 2011 at 10:52 AM
Wonder what trick she had been up to..Some say it is actually DaVinci himself or a self portrait hidden in the female form..Thanks for the kind review of my work..Sara
Johnson Avatar
July 8, 2011 at 2:16 AM
Yes mate you have covered every angle, of the carrot dangled, by master Leonardo, Might have been the building owner, painting her the rent to wangle. perhaps he was her errant beau:) Great verse mate lots of 'maginanin' an a touch comedy sits well with me. on ya mate, Don
Hall Mad Poet Avatar
July 7, 2011 at 6:26 PM
WOw this is Excellent Sir Robert. Perfecto, the history, the mystery melted into perfect poetry. You the best. However, I think smiling for 4 years one's face would look like that. Unless she suffered from the "C" word :-) This is a winner to me
Taylor Avatar
July 7, 2011 at 12:16 PM
Awesome entry, my friend. Very interesting and well written. A winner for sure. Good luck. You guys have a great weekend. All the best. Ralphie
Zzzzz Avatar
July 7, 2011 at 7:02 AM
Interesting and entertaining write, Bob. I'm a great art fan, but I've never been to Paris, so I've only seen copies of the world's most famous portrait. It is a great masterpiece though...I love the wonderfully painted background as much as the portrait itself. Good luck in the contest. Robert.
Brown Avatar
July 7, 2011 at 5:31 AM
What more could I ask for today? It is a beautiful day the sun shining and birds singing. I am reading your poetry in which you share a little of yourself maybe without even realizing it you have written from your soul. Thank you for sharing your magnificent poetry with us Bob. Love, Carol
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