Mother, After

Lindsay Stripling

"on her face like / Renoir / might have painted"

Just before I dipped into sleepshe appeared on the canvas of my eyelids— tranquil joyon her face like Renoirmight have painted, light dapplingaround and through her. Even when the brush had to be tied to Renoir’s bent and failing hands,Beauty drew through themas my mother—even beyond— cannot help but be who she is. From Mothershell by Andrea Potos. © Andrea Potos and reprinted by permission of Kelsay Books. …

From Mothershell by Andrea Potos. © Andrea Potos and reprinted by permission of Kelsay Books.

About the Author

Andrea Potos is the author of nine poetry collections, including Mothershell (Kelsay Books), A Stone to Carry Home (Salmon Poetry), Arrows of Light (Iris Press), An Ink Like Early Twilight (Salmon Poetry), and Yaya's Cloth (Iris Press). Traveling, art, and family give Andrea the greatest inspirations for her work. She can usually be found in cafes, writing by longhand, using notebooks with creamy and smooth pages. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

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