Immortal Beloved

At long last
the time has come...

You will pose,
and become my
Immortal Beloved.

The years to you have been kind.
And my skills are perhaps
only just now ready
for some of God's best work
now lying before me.

My initial aim,
to unseat Madame X from her throne,
for Sargent must be avenged!
His curse is to be lifted or I to hit a wall in effort.
And, Dear Heart, I will paint you again and again
until this is done.

In my mind and in so many others,
you my dear, are a tour de force.
And, since you won't remain caged,
on the canvas your spirit must be captured.

Music, candles, wine and food.
Nothing can alleviate the tension.
Your eyes are large.
Your skin now moist,
the cloth clings tightly
to the closest thing to heaven
an artist can envision.

180 degrees from what was discussed over many drinks at the bar just moments before. The brash babe whose supernatural looks afford her caustic wit to destroy every suitor in her path and she...

...she has become altogether bashful.

A new beauty emerges:
The true self! Her true self.

And then I come alive!

You have the sheet there, cling to it!
Preserve what is meant for so few eyes.
Fight for it!
Keep all that goodness under wraps!
I want to paint THAT!
For that is humanity...
THAT is nakedness!
THAT is raw form and emotion.

Would you deny Miss Mona Lisa her reticence?
Her timidity, the mark of innocence.
More highly valued, therefore,
than the brazen posturing of her gilded figure.

Wait, you see it.
You see me.
You know I'm just as scared.
Just as challenged.
You see what I want.
Your confidence is mounting.
Do not eat the apple, baby, do not drop the sheet.

Let me have this,
let everyone who sees it
have this.
A return to innocence
for both of us
for as long as it took
to make this painting.

We'll do others,
this painting will make everyone want us to do others,
but this one,
this one must end like this.

And in return, angel of mine,
my solumn promise to you:
To make my name in art
for all my days
so that even in death
you will then forever remain on canvas,
my Immortal Beloved.