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Monday, April 28, 2014

GEORGE BUSH PAINTS

by Louise Robertson


Putin by Bush


This is what we artists and open mic 
worshipers have hoped for
all this time with our journals
and rants and sketches, to see
someone so Republican at the altar of
art. One sees the scratchings, 
like our own attempts at the cave wall.
Hands stained red. The trick
of dimension is like a whole extra grade
level. The trick of expression--
however easy to start--
so much harder to get exactly right.
I want to take him to workshop,
talk to him about getting the bones
of it down first. What could this man know of bone
and muscle and ligament
having ignored so much gore in his path:
the scraped and scalloped wartime bodies,
the skulls looking like so many bladders
emptied of their gray and red and black,
the rubble made out of parlors and
kitchens? If that introspection
can come from making art,
if that is one of life's most elusive gifts, if that
is the divine in the human coming out,
I have to say, George: finally.


Louise Robertson has earned degrees (BA Oberlin, MFA George Mason University), poetry publications (Pudding Magazine, New Verse News, Parting Gifts) and poetry awards (Mary Roberts Rinehart, Columbus Arts Festival Poetry Competition -- twice). She is active as a poet and organizer in her local Columbus, Ohio poetry.