Pentimento (a visible trace of earlier painting beneath a layer or layers of paint on a canvas)

The cat followed the play of sunlight 
through the window as the day wore on:

the recourse of gable roofs caught in the little  town’s slanting  brown stillness 

the diaphane of color floating through the lace curtain

moths seeking a wall’s asylum from the beating ceiling fan

the incantation of the  father praying over the steaming  cup of tea, three cooked eggs in a bowl- 

the table set for the other for a long time now

the soot smudge, on the white wall next to the  open door- the gnossienne shadow of willows in the field beyond 

the black suitcase on wheels waiting for the leave
 ——————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Notes:

Diaphane is French for diaphanous.

Gnossienne:  Any of several musical compositions or a thing having a dance-like quality.