Arcimboldo's Water, by dl mattila

Water, by Guiseppe Arcimboldo (Italy), 1566.

Arcimboldo's Water
              
The man in the portrait, birthed by the sea,
presumed his existence a fait accompli
in spite of the howlerwind's ominous song
and thunderbolts hurling through break of dawn. 

But the sea level rose as the tempest rolled-in, 
and soon the earth's tears flowed up to his chin,
creating a stir. As swim bladders hummed
and tiny claws clicked amid pops and thumps,

a chatter of chirps joined burbles and yaps
while amphibians croaked and pincer-tips snapped.
Whisker-like barbels and tentacles twitched
as the torrent unleashed and floodwater drenched.

The man in the portrait, birthed by the sea,
reconsidered presumptions of fait accompli.

As arms of the octopus loosed their grip,
the eel and the lionfish started to slip.
Inspiring a mutinous seaside revolt,
the Dungeness crab decided to bolt.

And all in due time, yet before very long,
with the turn of the tide, man's profile was gone.

dl mattila

This poem was first published in Blast Furnace.

dl mattila is the author of Quietus, a collection of poems. Her work publishes nationally and internationally. She holds an MA in Writing (poetry) from The Johns Hopkins University.