Kay Ryan




Still Life with Lemons,
Oranges and a Rose

(1663) Francisco de Zurbarán

Like two
giant’s hands,
shade and
gravity collude
to squeeze away
the light and leave
the clay, rued
Zurbarán. Which
means he has to
find a counter way
to paint, unless he 
wants his oranges
too to stick, glued
into a lump
like candy. And
now his wife
is sick.