Arms

To take up arms against a sea of troubles

Look through glass darkly at sixties décor

Was my first sight of the more that’s in store,

NGV weekends, the Melbourne bubble.

Tiepolo arms of Cleopatra

Dissolving her pearl earring forever,

Pissarro dashes by half too clever,

Balzac’s grand sweep was Rodin’s blockbuster.

Or favourites visited on school excursions

The Asian Department’s multi-armed gods,

Walter Withers’ blue, Charles Conder’s versions,

The Leonard French ceiling kaleidoscope,

Fred Williams’ blobs, Arthur Boyd’s oddbods,

Armfuls of Percevals behind glass or rope.