Gestures

A gesture is the key to being an artist model
holding a pose for several minutes
sometimes adorned in an elaborate costume

other times standing with nothing more than a rose
under controlled lighting and climate conditions
while artists sketch or paint to capture the pose

using their own talent to tell a story
while the model stands or sits upon a platform
frozen in body but not in mind
dropping eyes to avoid contact

lipstick a dark red with blue shadow above her lids
the color of her eyes hidden under thick lashes
and only a slight smile so her teeth won’t show
a Mona Lisa for another generation.