Milan, 1497
Leonardo, The Last Supper
Chiaroscuro of light and shadow
compromised by time's attrition,
disciples' faces, pathos of the master
foreseeing betrayal of his mission.
Shades of blue, red, white,
traced with craquelare of tiny veins,
bread broken, wine poured,
symbols of love to heal earthly pains.
event from distant millennia
displayed to us through Renaissance eyes,
turning point in human history
wounded by a church later proving
unwise
blurred, faded, marred and flaking,
the image endures after restoration,
a commandment now to love one
another,
washing of feet bidding restitution
bread, wine, cups on white linen,
lightened by windows of upper room,
he faces death – divine plan
or crass tragedy upon him soon.
vibrancy dimmed, lustre lost,
the artwork today now calls to our hearts,
the suffering servant fulfilling
prophecy
of dreams later to fall apart.
Leonardo's faded mural,
gift to our world of bruised humanity
still speaks to us from an ancient wall,
portrait of love, and moment in history.