Monet's The Magpie, 1872, by Karen George

Monet's The Magpie, 1872

A house behind trees,
steep-pitched roof, red chimneys, 
fence and gate horizontal
at the scene's centre— 
caesura from white, silver, gold
snow which cushions, catches 
in crooks. Swirled strokes convey 
layers, echo arched tree limbs.

On the top rung of a warped gate
a magpie basks, beak cocked 
in silhouette, tail feathers angled right, 
same as shadows that point 
to the canvas bottom corner 
where Monet's signature slants.

Past the magpie's umbra, dark tracks
(boot or hoof) walk off 
the painting, invite you to enter,
feet tingling.

Distant fields stretch, fuse
with sky, late day sun unseen
reflects from every surface
onto your face
imprinting.

Karen George

Karen George is author of the poetry collection Swim Your Way Back (Dos Madres Press, 2014), and four chapbooks, most recently The Fire Circle (Blue Lyra Press, 2016). Her work has appeared in America, Adirondack Review, Naugatuck River Review, Louisville Review, and Still. She reviews poetry and interviews poets at Poetry Matters:  http://readwritepoetry.blogspot.com/, and is co-founder and fiction editor of the journal, Waypoints:  http://www.waypointsmag.com/. Her website is:  http://karenlgeorge.snack.ws/.