Lost Paintings: Sketch for ‘The Unsmiling’ Mona Lisa, attributed to Da Vinci

AnnMarie Eldon
ISSUE 2006-1
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Lost Paintings Sketch for ‘The Unsmiling’ Mona Lisa, attributed to Da Vinci you reached into my arteries and leonardoed me centuries before they’d heard of hardening you found deposits chalky scrapybits              bits that sloughed with our talking and bloodied me and still slit and were discovered by candlelight                                                   practising necromancy upon my belly I who offered you teeth and bit you when you desired It and you were arguing with your contemporaries and would not even pass michelangelo on the street who was my hero I dreamed all the pricks they didn’t get him to chop off or cover with pre-titianny chiffony stuff *but oh what if I were to beguile you*                                     and you are slicing                                     and writing mirror stuff and it was all back wards and hell you made no contribution it was hidden and lost all that dissection stink gangrene *what would I have to do?* you’re so damn lucky you have the benefit of history on your side                                      and I have a scar that labels me a      cu t woman