That’s A Childless Madonna Staring Lifelike Poem by Gert Strydom

That’s a childless Madonna staring lifelike
from the wall, with eyes moving
as if they are following
every movement, a look-alike

to the mother of God,
as if something divine,
is filling her eyes that are looking in mine
and it feels as if its on holy ground that I trod

with the picture’s countenance having a kind of grace
while the artist Mea watches me,
where I am awestruck by the art, she smiles suddenly.
“Who can contemplate the expression on the painted face? ”

I wonder loudly while it feels
as if the picture is living,
a kind of strange thing
and my mind reels

while I try and contemplate the changing expression
now softening in the fading light
almost becoming indistinct with the coming of night
but the picture retains its original dimension,

is almost surreal and still there
with eyes that never closes watching, always looking
as if comprehending something,
following, following me almost anywhere.