Five Paintings by Piero Della Francesca, by Chris Hardy

Madonna del Parto, by Piero della Francesca (Italy) 1460

Madonna Del Parto
​
Calm long nosed Madonna
white as paper
Egyptian-blue dress slit
a bursting fruit
two angels hold the curtains
open on each side
their stares say keep back,
look.

The Nativity, by Piero della Francesca (Italy) 1470-1475

The Nativity
​
White soil
like salt
slight scent
of nard
the musicians sing 
round faced
as sunflowers
their innocent mouths
coin shaped.

The Baptism, by Piero della Francesca (Italy) exact date uncertain, dated 1439 to 1470

The Baptism
​
Above the impatient Christ
a small
white UFO
behind him
a figure
pale as a corpse
strips
for a beating.

The Flagellation, by Piero della Francesca (Italy) estimated 1468-1470

The Flagellation
​
Proud angel
ordering punishment,
perfect flattened circle
wherein the pose
of the Sergeant at Arms
dégagé devant.

The Resurrection, by Piero della Francesca (Italy) 1460s

The Resurrection
​
A boxer climbing
into the ring
avenging Christ
looks straight back
over the unstrung
soldier marionettes.

Chris Hardy

Chris Hardy: "I have travelled widely and, after years in London, live in Sussex. My poems have been published in Acumen, Stand; The North; The Rialto; Poetry Salzburg Review; Poetry Review, the Blue Nib and many other places. I am in LiTTLe MACHiNe, performing settings of poems at literary events. 'The most brilliant music and poetry band in the world' (Carol Ann Duffy). My fourth collection, Sunshine At The End Of The World, was published by Indigo Dreams. Roger McGough said about the book, ‘A poet as well as a guitarist Chris consistently hits the right note, never hits a false note.’"