[10.5 ToC]

 

THE ANATOMY LESSON

Terence Kuch

I recited the taxonomy
of her parts,
touched each one as if
she were The Anatomy Lesson,
students peering at her
           spectacular form,
fumbling in their texts
to find cold type
for each warm part;

But I,
I saw no parts at all
but only her
           spectacular form,

entire

 

 

 

 

 

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This poem is a commentary on Rembrandt's painting The Anatomy Lesson (1632—see Wikipedia), although in the painting the body is male, not female, and the students' anatomy texts (if there were any) are not shown.