Really? Seriously?

Really? Seriously?

You’re going to stand in front of me

With your fake iphone eye to take a picture of Van Gogh’s Starry Night

When I’d like to view the painting with my real eyes?

Really? Seriously?

Are you ever going to look at those photos again?

Yeah, yeah you may move Starry Night from your phone to your FaceBook page but

Really, seriously,

Will you ever look at it again in the way you have an opportunity to see it now?

Why don’t you look with the naked eye, deeply, as if you’re in solitary confinement for the rest of your life and in order to stave off madness you will need to conjure up the dense blue velvet swirls and waves of paint that make Vincent’s sky spin.

Why don’t you just stand still at each painting and breathe in

The lace of Lady in Blue’s cuffs, the feathers in her hair

The dangle of the girl’s pearl earring

The dimples of Venus’ rosy flesh

The trembling of Lucrece as Zeus descends

The pierced hands and side of Christ’s lifeless body cradled by his mother

It’s all here now.

Really. Seriously.