Museum Piece

The good gray guardians of art

Patrol the halls on spongy shoes,

Impartially protective, though

Perhaps suspicious of Toulouse.

Here dozes one against the wall,

Disposed upon a funeral chair.

A Degas dancer pirouettes

Upon the parting of his hair.

See how she spins! The grace is there,

But strain as well is plain to see.

Degas loved the two together:

Beauty joined to energy.

Edgar Degas purchased once

A fine El Greco, which he kept

Against the wall beside his bed

To hang his pants on while he slept.