Study of a Lion

In black chalk the beast

brusques forward     Silence     Rubens

has stopped his mouth

with a single line     He is already

awed by the den

he will find himself in even now

as his mane curls into wisp

of emptiness     A study on paper

But there in white chalk the grim

pose brightens

into recognition smudged nose

bent toward the scent

of viewer     Eyes steadily lighting

toward the years one swift textured paw

lifted ever so slightly

Patient as an avalanche

Kate Middleton