Gerald Locklin on the Other Side of the
Pissarro: Self-Portrait, 1873
There are Jewish qualities suggested by
The flowing whiteness of the beard,
The wary welcoming of the eyes,
A cautious generosity,
A giving of one's soul
Up to a point.
An ear is cocked. A bald head
Signifies a formidable brain.
The houses of the middle class
Adorn the walls: white walls, red roofs.
He's a man who trusts himself,
But knows he can't afford the luxury
Of fully trusting us.
© Copyright Gerald Locklin 2006