Another of Liz Bassett's poems in the _Guardian_. This one a villanelle,
'John Virtue's London Paintings', selected by poet Tony Curtis for his 18
April 2005 Poetry Workshop:
*John Virtue's London Paintings by Liz Bassett*
Black ink. Shellac. Titanium white.
An amalgam of mistakes that might add up to something.
Walking through the painting, holding the sky, the light,
from six viewpoints, you're still moving through them; might
see the river that isn't like the river, or a bridge disappearing.
Black ink - Shellac - Titanium white
scratch windows into buildings, smear dark*,*polluted light
across a day you will not have again. A day breathing,
walking, through the painting. Holding the sky, the light
back from his stone chest, Nelson pauses, catches sight
of a canvas being walked in from Covent Garden. He is
waiting.
Black ink - Shellac - Titanium white
are stacked against the wall in cans of shadow and searing
light.
In front of the stretched air stands Virtue, his mind pacing;
walking through the painting, holding the sky, the light,
the rain flecked pond of pavement, the brilliant
white
where sketchpad stopped being building. He is beginning*:*
Black ink - Shellac - Titanium white
walking through the painting - holding the sky - the light.
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