The Rag Doll, II

Front row, second from left
(between half a silver pitcher
and Granny Smith Apple on breadboard),
we see Mexican Hat Squash in his early
still-life days at dear old Moss Point Lane
Academy (Behind him, a playful painting-mate
gives him green horns).

Granny Smith, by the way, later became famous
for her greenness, which, scientists argue,
is actually a result of her continual absorption
of all colors except green, so that,
after all these years of greenness,
that patch of "green" must be simply bursting
with all the reds, yellows, blues and oranges
it's been gobbling up and storing
Lord knows where.

Others in this rare group portrait include
an unnamed pumpkin, the insoucient Rag Doll
(who was later to play such an important role...)--

Well, this isn't a class portrait,
just a bunch of stuff. It reminds me
of a child's fascination with arranging coins
or toy cars or dolls in every possible configuration,

effortlessly inventing stories to go with each,
characters, actions and ranks derived
from position, shape, color, name, etc.--

Isn't that how we live our lives?
Here you stand, looking at a painting
full of stuff, making up
what story about yourself?

Dean Blehert

Last Updated: October 6, 2002