Portrait of a Young Man

Ekphrasis

20 Sept

After Domenico Ghirlandaio, *Portrait of a Young Man,* c. 1477-78. Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.

I see your green underpainting shining Like Osiris, fertile but dead
Clopping footsteps pass across the gallery floor But I feel wrapped in olive skin on khaki walls
You stand out from your gallery companions Stark scarlet on icy sapphire sky
I can’t explain your enigmatic pull, Or why Michelangelo’s teacher painted puffy allergy-eyes
You refuse to look back at me Cold charcoal eyes fixed in that timid gaze
You’re not very handsome at all Even if you’re a full-lipped youth
I worry to see men in guarded parley behind your back But you’re performing ‘melancholic’ and don’t seem to notice
I dream of you repeatedly The museum is on fire, and I can only save one
So, I choose you To tenderly wrap beside my bed
When I bolt awake in panic, I check whether you’re still there

Domenico Ghirlandaio, Portrait of a Young Man, c. 1477-78. Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Image © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford.

Published in Facing the Fire, 2023.

This poem is specifically formatted for mobile devices. However, for the best possible reading experience, I recommend reading it on a desktop computer.

— Dr Aimee Blackledge

Aimee Blackledge is an American author and editor who lives in the UK. She has a Master's of Studies (M.St) and a Doctor of Philosophy (D.Phil) in the History of Art from the University of Oxford. She is an Associate Member of the Society of Authors and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading.

For the past 10 years, Aimee has worked extensively across academia as a research associate, lecturer, curator, tutor, and post-doctoral researcher. As a Researcher Developer at the University of Liverpool, she facilitated academic writing retreats and coached researchers in achieving their most ambitious writing goals.

Aimee writes historical fiction about art. Her writing focuses on amplifying the work and perspectives of women. Her latest collection of poems, Ghost Bones, was published under the mentorship of T. S. Eliot Prize winner, Joelle Taylor.

http://www.aimeeblackledge.com

Portrait of a Young Man

This poem is specifically formatted for mobile devices. However, for the best possible reading experience, I recommend reading it on a desktop computer.

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