Self-Portraits

A brush on canvas

And a figure

Begins to emerge

Lushly red

Like fragrant roses

Words entwined

To form their stems

One heart begins to beat

Again

As brush dips back in paint

Fleshing out the figure

No –

Now two

That appear before

The watchful eyes

More words appear

Circling

Reaching

Drawing the figures close

In paint and ink

They merge and join

Waiting

Breathlessly

To see what will finally

Emerge

(c) 2017 Miriam Ruff