In the Loge

BYU Studies Quarterly Volume 40 | Issue 2 Article 19 4-1-2001 In the Loge Marilyn Bushman-Carlton Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq Recommended Citation Bushman-Carlton, Marilyn (2001) "In the Loge," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 40 : Iss. 2 , Article 19. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol40/iss2/19 This Poetry is brought to you for free and open access by the All Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in BYU Studies Quarterly by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact , . Bushman-Carlton: In the Loge in the loge from a painting by mary cassatt its all about seeing and about being seen without knowing and about who sees whom the woman in black is the closest farther back and unseen by the woman in black is the blur of a man in an opposite box he too is suited in black and first one we see her face and dress and he leans his white head toward us and toward the woman like her lack the color and lace that would bring our eyes back again and again his right hand holds glasses to his eyes his point precisely at her both the woman in black limply tied at her neck is a matching black hat what catches our eyes are the glasses held to her eyes with one hand the other clutching a closed gold fan lays in her lap we see through transparent gloves her ivory flesh her glasses are trained not on the lit white stage where the baritone bows and an ardent soprano curves at his feet but on someone outside of the frame whom we cannot see Published by BYU ScholarsArchive, 2001 and the man in black watching her rest their arms on the rim of the rail linking the two unaware in a velvet toned curve though through the eyes of the painter we see the woman and man in the black gold and red composition neither we nor that man see who is seen by the woman in black the same seen by the painter who kept her or him forever out of our sight marilyn bushman carlton 1 BYU Studies Quarterly, Vol. 40, Iss. 2 [2001], Art. 19 mary cassatt in the loge 1879 the hayden collection charles henry hayden fund D 2000 museum of fine arts boston all rights reserved https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol40/iss2/19 2  (...truncated)