MARIA

by Lenny Lianne


Near the Cathedral of the Incarnation,
on a side street in Granada, I saw
a short, stocky woman staring at me.

Her head looked enlarged, yet her
chubby fingers reached only to her hips,
carrying me back to Maria Barbola,

one of the 110 dwarves in the entourage
of King Philip of Spain. Maria,
in a lapis-blue gown, apart from the heart

of the famed Velázquez painting,
stands with the same distinguished air
as the Infanta Margarita, pale-haired

daughter of the monarch, in the middle
along with two fussing ladies-in-waiting.
Velázquez is on the left, at his canvas.

Only Maria Barbola and the artist gaze
straight ahead, despite their standing:
Maria, a curious entertainment

for the five-year-old Infanta,
and the painter, a court portraitist,
both indispensable outsiders.

In the niche of a doorway, the woman
who reminded me of Maria Barbola
glared with defiance and dignity.

Before turning to retreats indoors,
she lifted her chin as if declaring
“I’m as blessed as you.”


* * * * *

Velázquez's referenced painting: https://carameltrail.com/diego-velazquez-paintings-las-meninas/

Lenny Lianne is the author of five books of poetry, most recently Sunshine Has Its Limits (Kelsay Books). She holds an MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry) from George Mason University and has taught various forms of poetry in workshops on both coasts. A world traveler, she lives in Arizona with her husband and their dog.