Ceramic
(Picasso, 1948)
His feet are elegant: enclosed flatly in gloves – washleather.
His legs are nonsupporting: they lean backwards: they’re
overlong thin sticks...
He’s an odd but lovely bird (WHITE
with rusty splashes & blobs - a slit
for a mouth & a greenstriped tail) . . .
He’s most probably a robin
- possibly he’s an alderman -
his eyes & ears are businesslike sharp.
He can easily hear
( am I right Pablo?)
worms crawling?
He listens thoughtfully.
Rigidly imprisoned on his dinnerplate .
intently watching
he’s perpetually hopeful.
Note
He stands delightedly but officially, stomach protruding.
He's rustily red, vaguely like a redbreast, & looks confidently important – sharpeyed & listening attentively. He's roundly, finally fixed on his plate.
He's certainly not dead - but why the hopefulness?