The Voyeurs, by Casey Dwyer

Susanna Bathing, by Tintoretto (Italy) 1556

The Voyeurs
​
in the Kunsthistorisches

An old man crawls on tired knees 
for a glimpse of her pubis and thigh.
His bald head
peeks behind a wall of rose-vines.
Each pedal of each rose 
is swept by an unseen wind. 

Another old lecher in the background. 
His head is bowed, but if you lean in
it seems his eyes are straying for
a glimpse of the sun on her rounded back,
the full arm, the curve of the shoulder,
the breast, the braided blonde hair 
in such ridiculous excess. 
In the pond, the ducks repeat the scene
and the cypress are swayed by that same wind 
that carried the scents of sweet hyssop 
and aloes that now sit, alone 
in a silver jar. 
 
But she does not notice any of this. 
She spies in a mirror leaned something pleasing 
like when you catch yourself after the shower
stare into your own eyes, before you judge
perhaps, you indulge, turn the shoulder to the sun
drape the towel, look as one looking in. 
 
A jeweled bracelet on alabaster skin. 
A pearl earring blown ever so softly. 
An ivory comb and pick that will serve
to untangle that mass of braids…
but not yet. Please, not yet. 
For now, let each convex line lead where it may 
and say nothing of what happens when the wind dies. 
For now, this mirror of oil and pigment.  

Casey Dwyer 

Casey Dwyer is an emerging poet, painter, and Christian minister living in rural Wisconsin. He’s been published by Ekstasis and Foreshadow. You can keep up on news and works in progress at his website, revivalrenewal.com.