The only rule,

the only law

of genius, of imagination, of abandonment, of truth,

is change.

.

Not reworking, but change.

.

What is this borrowed mask?

The same old song once more?

Will Apollinaire defend us

this time?

As he did Renoir,

                       his Arcadia, his nudes.

Who will bring back

the soul of art?

Who will bring it back

from the Underworld?

                      Picasso having played

                      Orpheus this go round.

2.

Never rework,

the influence being imaginary

at best, but isn’t that

enough?

.

Always new again,

though there is no new

                    matter.

No new paint.

Only rearrangement.

No change.

Nothing to be changed.

No looking back.

No back upon which

                               to look.

-Percival Everett-