Carousel At Smithsonian

At the bottom of this painting,
echoed in the eager naked dawning
of a child's knee, the painted pony's
gush of pure sunglow, warm golden froth
of tangible admiration--

is the color of, far above, where adults
see muted pastel fragments of light
(like the tinkly notes that repeat
over and over) and a finger-smeared brass pole--

is the color of the child's
looking up.

Dean Blehert

Last Updated: October 6, 2002