Dennis Spilchuk Poet Verse

Notes About The Poem

Stolen Glances

Stolen Glances

A thought, or maybe a far-off dream? 
Is she half-awake or sleeping?
The atmosphere is reticent.
Her posture is provocatively alluring
Yet innocent; even the cat laps quietly.
There are other things in the room,
Insignificant and commonplace.

But obviously, it’s her legs;
With one foot on the floor
And the other spread on the footstool,
With her skirt lifted revealing her underwear;
As she relaxes, leaning back in a chair
With her arms raised; and fingers intertwined
As her hands rest upon her head
And her closed eyes revealing
That faraway gaze and satisfied look
On her face in an endearing pose
That glances steal at a moment’s notice.

That begs the question,
“Is she deep in thought
Or is she dreaming?
Is she sleeping, or not?”

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Alison A Smith August 23, 2026 at 7:48 PM A vivid ekphrastic poem that thoughtfully inhabits the hush and ambiguity of the painting. The measured descriptive lines guide the eye through the ordinary room toward the dreamer’s poised, intimate presence, while the closing questions preserve the artwork’s compelling uncertainty. The recurring contrast between innocence, stillness, and suggestive observation gives the piece a quietly cinematic tension. Dennis Spilchuk August 24, 2026 at 8:00 AM Thank you Alison, for your thoughtful and in-depth analysis and I agree. Balthus captures the moment, and the cat, just adds so much to the painting. It behooves me that the painting could be so controversial that self-professing art-lovers would want not only to censor and hide the painting from public view but would also want to destroy this work of art.