14. Still Lifes

For Roger de la Fresnaye

“Green”

The fat trot of gunners passes over geometry

I strip down

I shall be all made of steel soon

Without light’s set square

“Yellow”

Clarion of modernity

The American folder

Is as dry and

Cool

As vigorous the first countrysides

Normandy

And the architect’s table

Is as strictly beautiful

“Black”

With a bottle of India ink

And blue shirts

“Blue”

“Red”

Then there is a liter as well, a liter of sensuality

And that great novelty

“White”

Blank sheets of paper

April 1914.