He Paints Distorted Butlers by Paul Tristram

Charcoal greys and off-whites,
sharp lines to the elbows.
Uncomplicated livery
complete with damp patches
and mould stains.
Often in simple masks,
hiding the energy
and palpable horror
barely from view.
Both sinister and serious,
he puppet-masters
their ridiculous almost-movements.
With a brush antiseptic
to reality’s interference.
There’s a schizophrenic
agony and fracture
to each fascinating composition.
He visually piano-keys
the shades of Winter’s cold morning
so perfect in its steam-breath isolation.
I’ve shuddered with each…
passing glance invested…
and sighed at the ache and knot
each delicate art-piece
has taxed deep from my insides.
The scrawl of his signature,
the manic flourish of each capital letter…
screams ‘Obituary’, ‘Madhouse’
and groans with the heavy wheels
of the Century’s Carthorse
genius-shunting ever onwards his name.

Paul Tristram is a Welsh writer who has poems, short stories, sketches and photography published in many publications around the world, he yearns to tattoo porcelain bridesmaids instead of digging empty graves for innocence at midnight; this too may pass, yet. Buy his books ‘Scribblings Of A Madman’ (Lit Fest Press) http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1943170096 ‘Poetry From The Nearest Barstool’ at http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1326241036 You can also read his poems and stories here! http://paultristram.blogspot.co.uk/