On Wanting to Kiss Kandinsky’s Heavy Circles and di Paolo’s Baptism of Christ 

Norton Simon Museum, September 2024 

In Kandinsky’s circling cosmos, a stinging yellow burns
through navy space in perfect traces of a balanced mind. 

Through space, these perfect traces of a balanced mind
reach to strike me with desire in my gut. 

I am stricken with desire in my gut
to take my kiss to something—say, Saint John’s perfect cup. 

Taking my kiss to Saint John’s perfect cup I reach
but he, pouring liquid on Christ’s head, would bid me drink instead. 

Saint John pours liquid on Christ’s head. He bids me drink
of the perfect golden circle burning in his hand. 

That perfect circle burning in his hand sends
rings up through the cosmos—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost 

are ringed with gold throughout the cosmos. Oh—Father, Son, Holy Ghost!
In Kandinsky’s circling cosmos a stinging yellow burns.