La Gioconda
Ibba Partington
And he was coaxing you wasn’t he
the great Signore da Vinci
wondering at that depth of sadness he saw in you
“my lady oh my lady – Mona Lisa
now a beautiful smile my lady-”
hair like gosling down
He did not know he asked a smile
from a woman who had just lost her first child
who felt still the fierce tug
of milk raging in her swollen breasts
skin perfect as porcelain
You did as he asked and that wisp of smile
appeared down all the centuries
the child’s last breath slid from her lips
Behind your eyes a sadness deep
as earth’s center burned in you
after many minutes the child stiffened
after many minutes more unstiffened
moon-pale face cradled
The o ne they called Leonardo
sensed all
and wrapped it
in your enigmatic smile
they had to pry her from your arms
Ibba Partington has taught poetry and art history in upstate New York for the past eight years. “La Gioconda” is her exploration of one theory for Mona Lisa’s mysterious expression.
