An Artists’ Baptism... Poem by John Tansey

An Artists’ Baptism


The fresh, unblemished smell
In a ream of blank paper;
Fanning the pages.

A primed, white-washed
And mounted canvas.

The sculptor’s delivery
In a square block of Venetian marble.

Or a freshly, fallen snow
Just before your child’s first foot falls.

All are Sacraments of Baptism:
To wash away our wrongs,

And attempt, again, to start anew…


11.14.08 John Tansey


Copyright ©2008 John Thomas Tansey