John N. Phillips

WINDOW LIGHT

On an etching by Rembrandt van Rijn,

and the Allegory of the Plato’s Cave

Window light

falling across a figure

and a face.

an etching on a piece of paper,

Circa 1648.

the owner of the face,

Rembrandt,

looks out intently.

not at just us,

but back at himself.

there is nothing colorful

here,

like the costumes of his successful

young career,

nor the realization circles

of his old

age.

Just a man sitting by a

window,

determined to master

the reality of himself

By the use of light

and shade.

John N. Phillips