Best Poems Written by Sharmila Ray

For Freida Calho

Oh Freida who is fingering your shroud?
I can hear you coming, crossing the
old mansion’s tower and can see your
dark braided hair with feathers,
your perfume drifting past and
settling on uncut flowers.
But before I embrace your form,
I want to see with eyes full of flint
the draperies and naked bodies
in perpetual chiaroscuro.
Flirting with your pigments, I want
to dab violet on the face of mist, 
gore sorrow with a riot of crimson-scarlet
and fling viridian on the face of earth to
 be fresh again. Believe me I do not care
 how you handle your brush or
whether unknown empires rise in your canvas
 or knights and plebeians cross swords on
deserted beach.
I just want your blushing glow and
 whisk the Dark Angel into first light.

Copyright © Sharmila Ray | Year Posted 2016