Written by: Milo Hill
Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675), Girl with a Pearl Earring, c. 1665, Oil on canvas, 17 ½ x 15 3/8 in. (44.5 x 39.0 cm), Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague
She looks at me and only me,
For I am the only person left in the entire world.
The only person that ever mattered to her.
Her lips parted, just asked me
To follow her
And, although the space behind her is blackened by shadow,
I know I can trust her.
I know I can go with her
For she has spoken to my soul.
Her lips parted,
Wet,
Shining.
Water girl
And water glisten
On water pearl.
My water girl.
Her eyes,
Clear as cut diamond, crystal.
Foggy as the sea glass I picked up
On the beach and brought home
To her.
Her eyes speak,
“Come away with me”, they say
To me.
Not to the artist,
Not to the woman standing next to me or to anyone else.
She only looks at me.
Her hair bound
In lapiz lazuli,
Tightly wound.
Her hand bound
Around my wrist,
Tightly wound.
My own pearl bracelet.
I follow her
And now it is just us
In the dark
Spilled ink, jet night.
Just us
In the background of the painting.
Hidden beyond the empty black canvas.
We run hand in hand
Like young girls on the beach,
Like young girls through cobbled streets at night.
Since then it has been years,
Maybe more,
Maybe less.
A blank canvas left in a great gallery.
Two girls hiding in the background forever.
Yet still she looks at me,
Says “follow me”,
And I know I am the only one in her world.
She is the only one in mine.