THE PARABLE OF THE BLIND

This horrible but superb painting

the parable of the blind

without a red

in the composition shows a group

of beggars leading

each other diagonally downward

across the canvas

from one side

to stumble finally into a bog

where the picture

and the composition ends back

of which no seeing man

is represented the unshaven

features of the des-

titute with their few

pitiful possessions a basin

to wash in a peasant

cottage is seen and a church spire

the faces are raised

as toward the light

there is no detail extraneous

to the composition one

follows the others stick in

hand triumphant to disaster

😙😎😎😳😳😳🤔 This poem was read by Gary Smith at A Poetry Gathering