River of Light, by Anthony DiMatteo

Conversion of St. Paul, by Caravaggio (Italy). 1601.

 River of Light  
 
In Caravaggio’s Conversion,     
light falls indifferently, if anything,
more on the horse than on the master.
The animal looks down at his fallen
rider, alerted but not afraid,
set free from a burden, careful  
not to hoof the man whose arms
lift up as if seeking embrace.
 
He’s held at the bit by an old servant
whose wrinkled scalp makes a dull lamp,
foil to the shimmering stream
that glows on the blinded rider’s face.
The horse’s eyes alone are shown open,
mute witness to what neither man sees -
 
how light floods the world with shadows,
not regarding who holds the reins.  

Anthony DiMatteo

Anthony DiMatteo's recent poems and reviews have sprouted in the Cortland Review, Hunger Mountain, Los Angeles Review, Verse Daily, and Waccamaw. His current book of poems In Defense of Puppets has been hailed as, "a rare collection, establishing a stunningly new poetic and challenging the traditions that DiMatteo (as Renaissance scholar) claims give the poet 'the last word."(Cider Press Review).