Mexican Hat

Objects interrelate: That's what space is for.
This triangle of wine glass, wine bottle
and Mexican hat squash is seething
with drama:

Paternal bottle listens
as busy-body old lady squash says
"Isn't she a lovely child!" Or wineglass
sings "God Bless America" (mouth a wide,
upturned O), while the next two ungainly
contestants wait to strut their stuff
(What will the squash do?) -- or bottle
advises glass (pointing at squash)
to say no to fat leprous strangers
or to avoid wizards who confuse the toad spells
with the pumpkin spells, so transform you
into a combination-- or "Take that!"
says wineglass, casting a ruddy beam
on squash, who begins to implode, shrieking
("You've saved us!" says wine bottle)...--

All the stories that ever were or will be
energize the stage these three define.
Space and objects witness our unwillingness
to face anything we have not first given
a face. Putting this puffy plopulent squash
across from sleek glassy things
exposes our game. Seeing them together

is like talking to you, then to the dog,
then to the cat, then to a doll.
Or assigning depth to a flat painting,
then meaning to its "objects".

Upper left a bowl of fruit
is as faceless as it can be--
probably wanted in another painting.

Dean Blehert

Copyright c. 2002 by Pam Coulter Blehert and Dean Blehert. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Last Updated: October 5, 2002