Horses and Books (Carrara, with Photoshop and Painter postwork). For Theodore Gericault (19th Cen. French Romantic painter). Gericault painted "The Raft Of The Medusa" A large life sized canvas depicting the ship wreck and makeshift raft of the contemporary ship, the Medusa. He became an inspiration for many Romantic era painters who followed. He adored horses. The Raft Of The Medusa (for T. Gericault) Through the winter Your studio closed With spaces white Draped in sheets Your hair cut short You didn't go out You only worked on That enormous canvas. Scarcely mentioned names From the school of David (Da-veed) Calling you a forgotten madman Who couldn't play the part Of a great painter "He's like an athlete Born to struggle With every nerve strained Against the perilous depths." Hardly anyone noticed When you passed away (aged 32) One January winter's day Not from past excess Or from the wrath of the Salon. But preferring instead Your own drama Of winter winds And thunderstorms Dark and light On a raft of the Medusa.