Madonna Litta

By FRANCES RICHEY

c. 1490 Leonardo da Vinci

Oh, Mary! It must have been a revelation
to breastfeed your boy the will of God.
All I had to offer was the usual. For years
after my son was weaned, I still had milk.
The men I slept with loved it. Men can be
such babies when a stream shoots up
like fountain spray and hits the ceiling.
In this stingy world I was blessed
with more than I could hold.
Like Rose of Sharon in the scene of scenes,
her stillborn given to the river; the way she
bared her breast to save a starving stranger—
I could have done more—
                               but I didn’t know how.

 

Frances Richey is the author of two poetry collections, The Warrior and The Burning Point, and the chapbook Voices of the Guard. She teaches an ongoing poetry-writing class at The Himan Brown Program at the 92NY in NYC.

[Purchase Issue 25 here.]

From the beginning, The Common has brought you transportive writing and exciting new voices. We are committed to supporting writers and maintaining free, unrestricted access to our website, but we can’t do it without you. Become an integral part of our global community of readers and writers by donating today. No amount is too small. Thank you!

Madonna Litta

Related Posts

Photograph of a bug

Holding the World’s Coat

DANIEL MOYSAENKO
I do not like what you’ve done to yourself— // predictable theatre of struggle / I’m in the wings / of / world // Instead take this / translucent /  pisces-glyph bug: // Its antennae flitting to test / the space just in front of its face / It struts right into a recluse web 

Headshot of Stephanie Niu

Phenomenology Study / Elegy for Island Love  

STEPHANIE NIU
The banana plant that thrashed outside my lover’s window / seemed unreal. Our hours together felt like a dream: / how he nudged a spider up the shower tile / with a cupped hand, unwilling to hurt anything / alive. How unlike me, watching the slow turn / of the ceiling fan...

The Month When I Watch Joker Every Day

ERICA DAWSON
This is a fundamental memory. / The signs pointing to doing something right / and failing. Educated and I lost / my job. Bipolar and I cannot lose / my mind. The first responder says I’m safe. / Joaquin Phoenix is in the hospital. / I’m in my bedroom where I’ve tacked a sheet...