By Misti Velvet Rainwater
Date: 20 August 2000
My First Nude
painted my first nude tonight
with the paints I bought from the dollar store
crouched down on your bedroom floor with the oldies station on
using the cover of the *Kama Sutra* paperback you bought me
in New Paltz as a model
started with the breasts
the best part
couldn't get the nipples right
turned them into big fearful eyes
which turned into the profile of a rabbit
directly across from the rabbit I painted
a cloud of confusion
with a red question mark in the middle
then I got another piece of paper and tried
to paint a nude woman again
started with the breasts again
painted them much bigger than mine
for the sake of art
painted flowing blue green hair
and closed eyes
and a red pout
cliche, cliche
but MY cliche, damn it
but I couldn't paint the arms or legs
so she ended
at her belly button.
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