Oil on Canvas

[Magpie]

This is a really interesting read, I've left a few notes below.

Oil on Canvas  -- I would usually prefer a title that isn't a line from the poem, but that's just me, it's not a big deal


There is a woman from Moldova -- the choice of Moldova seems very specific, perhaps a history of border instability
in my Tuesday painting class; -- unless 'Tuesday' has some relevance would 'Monday' be better for internal sonics with 'Moldova'
her face the rough of daub and wattle -- like this line 
her hands float smooth like the Danube. -- the rhythm of this line is off compared with the rest of the stanza which is at odds to the line which is describing a smooth action. I do like the nearly rhymes with Danube and daub


She paints a man in oil on canvas,
an olive great coat and a cap -- 'greatcoat' all one word 'great coat' reads awkwardly
who rides his stallion off to battle.
Now he’s gone. Now he’s gone. -- not sure about the repetition here, is there a reason? 


Charlemagne!  -- this stanza caught me by surprise
Oh Charlemagne!
Come haunting through the cold church basements, -- is 'the' needed here, 
break the locks, kick down the doors.
Come knock the limpid easel over, -- is it the easel that is limpid or the canvas
Charlemagne!
Oh Charlemagne!


Don’t wash away with turpentine,
don’t swirl like colors down the drain. -- nice ending. could 'like' be changed for 'as' to make a stronger image? doesn't read as well I suppose

Read it a few times now and I really like it, the inclusion of Charlemagne was a surprise in conjunction with Moldova as I can find no connection. Perhaps Charlemagne symbolises violence and terror. To me this seems to be poem about not letting the past be forgotten.

Thanks for the read.