It goes in and out of focus,

sometimes taking the shape
of a sketch done in a night of
schizophrenic inspiration, its
seemingly errant lines forming
a simulacrum of reality without
actually quite reaching its shores.
At other moments it
shatters into a living mosaic,
each jagged, colored tile just
going along for the ride,
happy to be part
of the picture,
and not giving a damn
whether it makes the sale or not.
Now it seems to be resolving into a
watercolor done with
an amateur’s skill
and in great haste, its overlapping
edges of streaked, ragged color
all that will be left to show
for an exhibition
that didn’t exactly pack ‘em in
and where the best piece
turned out to have been hung
upside down.