Lyric

Gold leaf in the half-light

Oval faces on the wall

Every polished border

Kept its distance from the hall

The gallery stood perfect

With its velvet rope drawn tight

Nothing looked offended

Nothing gave the wound a name

She wore a collar of pearls

And a mouth too still to read

A little crack near the corner

Ran deeper than the scene

Her hands were painted folded

As if anger could be trained

But the nail above her shoulder

Held the pressure and the shame

Gold leaf

Old grief

Held still

Kept neat

Hung high

Kept clean

Smiled once

Cut deep

He looked almost noble

In a borrowed shade of brown

The painter gave him softness

Where the damage should be found

A varnished little silence

Lay across his careful jaw

I could see where time had touched him

And decided not to thaw

Gilt frames hold grudges

Better than a face

Gold does not forgive

It only keeps its place

Every polished corner

Learns what mouths erase

Gilt frames hold grudges

With immaculate grace

We were not made gentle

We were made to stay

Nailed into the beauty

People praise and look away

We have held the portraits

Longer than regret

We remember every room

That wanted to forget

Do not ask the canvas

Why it never cried

Some things keep their fury

By remaining dignified

Gold leaf

Old grief

Turn once

Hold still

One face

Two names

One room

No will

Hung high

Kept clean

Not kind

Not free

A frame

A wound

A waltz

A key

Gilt frames

Hold grudges

Gold keeps

What mouths lose

Bright edges

Cold corners

Old grief

Dressed for view

No raised voice

No torn lace

No hand

Out of place

Gilt frames

Hold grudges

And beauty

Keeps the bruise

By morning, all the portraits

Looked properly arranged

The gold had not been lifted

The faces had not changed

But under every border

Where the old varnish stayed

Something kept its posture

And would not be repainted