RAPHAEL'S SEARCH
(1483-1520)

Thirty seven years
of wishing to be known
Raphael paints the walls on
any cave, church, city alley
or dark Venetian hallway's home
to perfect a pastel art's ability
always answering his critics
in his own school
by a search for new techniques
to summon a young gentility
appearing dramatic at every forum
walking into any gallery's court
any day of the week
without even a quorum
to mark his intoxicating genius
on Roman stone and quartz,
to find his own passionate links
in a selfish assiduous way
aided of course by Pope Julius
leaving his church's sacristy
to invest in this young artist
on his own hopes
on that glorious day
when fame finally turned his way
though notoriously jealous
with those others around him
who use their own swaggering sway
to paint angels on chapel aisles
yet Raphael is justly eager
to drink from his own silver cup
with his own drawing style
to be worthy of grudging smiles
of those who are judging him
in Rome's higher up neighborhoods
thinking as he labors he needs
to be as cruel and corrupt
as to conspire with those fools
by covering up
any defiled memory
over an over-zealous nomenclature
at his latest frescoes signature
nor would he interrupt himself
for any blame in borrowing styles
or colors from others painters
to wash over his unique imagery
to get out his name first
and deliver his work early
on any religious scene
hiding the many pretended roles
that art critics had esteemed
for an early secretive posterity
from his libidinous nature's soul
that was needed to be redeemed,
not waiting for prosperity
in a lusty business of power
for his own curious end game
to reach for his consummate goal
by a devil make care attitude,
suddenly having to change his plan
as romance turned into venal lust
which shortened his life's vitality
from rumors of an unwise curse
followed by surprised days
and long legendary dream nights
of over-stated contemporaries
interred by echoes of the Sistine,
Raphael still wears a trinity ring
around his bejeweled bountiful neck
as he was the third of three kings
who attacks with his own personal fuel
the anointing of Michaelangelo
and Leonardo Da Vinci
in direct ambition to his own
yet constantly knowing his own worth
for there is no mercy in seeking
a just name on earth
and then hiding a weasel's bone
on many nights of lusty mirth,
preferring easy sensual beds
leaving a calumnious beck and call
though love was within his grasp
believing in furious Hell's mimicry
having caught a dreaded disease,
yet we know from wise Cleopatra
the snake is an ominous asp
with a vocal inheritance to surprise
taking its voluminous boastful toll
of all sensuously despised sap
whose venom will soon
leave him and his reputation dead
and away from paradise,
without much ministry's time
to paint along the gallery
its throngs of adored saints
from a gorgeous fresco's easel
to an arising heaven
for Raphael's brief time on earth
fainting away at thirty seven.