The Ekphrastic Review
  • The Ekphrastic Review
  • The Ekphrastic Challenges
    • Challenge Archives
  • Ebooks
  • Prizes
  • Book Shelf
    • Ekphrastic Book Shelf
    • Contributors' Book Shelf
    • TERcets Podcast
  • Workshops
  • Give
  • Submit
  • Contact
  • About/Masthead

Discobolus, by Jerry Friedman

6/15/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Discobolus Lancellotti, Roman copy of the Imperial era of a Greek original. c. 140 AD.

Diskobolos
 
All right, now I have to ask you to lift your arm up again.

—Okay.…  How much longer?

It won’t be as long this time.

—It can’t be.

Lift your hand back up, please.  Thanks…

—Shit.

Please stand up and get back in the position.

—I can’t, man.

I’m paying you to do a job.

—I quit.  You don’t need to pay me no more.

“No more”!  If you quit now, all this time is wasted.  Who’s going to pay me?

—I guess I could give you some of the money back.

I don’t want the fucking money back!  I want you to pose!

—Don’t matter what you want, man.  I can’t no more…. You try it.  You could never have done this on your best day.

That’s right, and no one would have wanted my fat self even then.  And you’ll never be a sculptor.  Now please get up so I don’t have to talk to your father.

—He don’t know I’m doing this.  He’d be ashamed.

So that’s how it is?  And I suppose he doesn’t know what you’re spending the money on, either?

—Think you’re so fucking smart.

I was young too, once, my boy.  What’s her name?

—It’s not a girl.  It’s my friends… we shoot dice…

Whatever.  Though I must say you’d be better off with a girl… or maybe not, come to think of it.

—Remembering something?

Never mind.  Just be careful about your friends if any of them win too much.

—I just lose too much.

Be careful about that, too.… Has it been long enough?

—I can stand up…. Want me to clean where I sat on your nice pedestal?

The slave will take care of it.  Just get back into the pose.

—Ah, shit!  How’s this?

Arm a little higher, please.  Excellent.  I’m going as fast as I can.

Gerald Friedman

Gerald Friedman grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, and now teaches physics at Santa Fe Community College in New Mexico.  He has published a little in physics and more in poetry in various journals.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    The Ekphrastic Review
    Picture
    Current Prompt
    COOKIES/PRIVACY
    This site uses cookies to deliver your best navigation experience this time and next. Continuing here means you consent to cookies. Thank you.
    Join us on Facebook:
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture



    ​
    ​Archives
    ​

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    Lorette C. Luzajic theekphrasticreview@gmail.com 

  • The Ekphrastic Review
  • The Ekphrastic Challenges
    • Challenge Archives
  • Ebooks
  • Prizes
  • Book Shelf
    • Ekphrastic Book Shelf
    • Contributors' Book Shelf
    • TERcets Podcast
  • Workshops
  • Give
  • Submit
  • Contact
  • About/Masthead