EL GRECO’S HOUSE
Toledo
Downstairs,
we walk narrow, white-washed corridors
and gaze at hand-carved black-oak beams,
older than these grandfather clocks whose
long hand, short hand mark time
in a distant century.
On an open hearth in a tiled kitchen,
cook-pots hang from an iron tripod.
The original paintings have long gone
but copies of haloed heads gaze down
at us from walls where cobwebs age
with gathering dust.
A goose quill pen and an inkpot
await the maestro’s return.
They are poised to sign the contracts
that litter the desk with their thick
black promises of wealth to come.
We climb worn, creaking stairs
and visit the artist’s studio with its
three-legged stool, an easel
by an open window, paint brushes,
and an untouched canvas
crackling in the summer breeze:
a white sail spread before a voyage.
rogermoorepoet 
Pearl S. Buck’s house is only a few miles from me. I had this same feeling walking through the rooms – that was waiting for her to come home. I love when a house gives off the essence of its owner. Your poem conveys that perfectly!
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It was a strange and wonderful place. Entry was free: you paid to leave. I think it was there, anyway. Certain houses do take on the personalities of the owners. Our house has a cat and dog personality: they own the place. I can still see the old dog sitting there, waiting for me. I guess he’ll be a permanent fixture when we move on.
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Aw! Yep, I know what you mean. I can’t picture my childhood home without my dogs there.
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So many faithful tail-wagging happy healthy woofers! I hope to see them all again some day. I often picture the fuss they’ll make of me. And me of them.
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I know what you mean. I’ve had dogs and cats all my life!
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Have u recieved my masseges tonight dear roger !! Plz reply.
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I see there’s one on the Mexican Wall. Otherwise, just these two.
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A goose quill pen an inkpot……marvellous.dear roger
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It is a nice image: but very real, exactly what was there. I have received no messages from you other than these two posted here, Aruna. Did you e-mail me? I’ll check all my posts in case.
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To day ,u have reply on valentine day then i responded u twice but again n again,dt time on my site is shown dt i can not reply on ur draft.why?i do’nt know
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We had over two foot of snow yesterday. Everything has been slow at this end. I think we are up to date now. I hope so.
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Okay dear roger.
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That final image of blank canvas like a sail…amazing!
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Thank you so much. And thank you for visiting, too.
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“a white sail spread before a voyage”
I love the imagery, Roger…beautiful piece!
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Thank you, Tanya. The poor PEI sea gull in the photo won’t voyage very far. I have several photos of him and his friends, all washed up on the beach after a storm. I felt that El Greco’s house, in Toledo, was just sitting there, waiting for him to return. It was a strange old feeling.
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