palette of autumn

one fall afternoon

a downtown window display

a painting they glimpsed

with striking red leaves..

newlyweds naive and frugal

contemplated this sudden

appearance of beauty..

a downtown walk to 

ownership of one

palette of autumn..

robert wood painted

simple themes

his aims.. clarity and truth..

picture postcard views

his critics complained..

all this mattered little

one autumn afternoon

their purchase marked

with sacrifice.. with joy...

the palette to be found

in honored places

 their home of these years..

years most climactic in the

world out there..

a young president's death

steps on the moon

war and protest..

red in this time often
expressed history's 

 blood.. violence.. hurt..
yet also awakenings
of lasting import..

robert wood was
conventional
loved the picturesque
and memories..
but they had moved on..
their awareness expanding
tolstoy's war and peace
a cover to cover conquest..
pithy wisdom of eric hoffer
absorbed with delight..
a growing family and
attentions refocused..
the palette became
in storage
a forgotten excess..

in its storage place
an occasional jostle
brought a new glimpse..
not to discard
at least not this time..
the palette remains
a reminder .. insight
in their now autumn years..
simplicity a name for
both love and light..
these have
hovered and joined
 through many
crowded years..

robert wood an American
impressionist painter..
critics now find
a painting life obscured..
recognition coming now
a great landscape painter
in plein air.. 
most sensitive to
contrast..color
in light...

a life in parallel
1889-1979