The Annunciation Refigured
“When she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.”
Luke 1:29
For a long time,
there was no trouble done
to the order of operations.
Gabriel would come,
land with a heavy thud,
then lift his index finger
to quiet the woman before him.
This time, however,
the calculations were upset
by addition.
As Gabriel cleared his throat
he looked down,
saw that a golden book
had been placed
under Mary’s hand.
How dare this painter
make her literate! He must
have thought, scanning
the scene for a sign,
his eyes landing
on the message
he was about to send.
Troubled,
he began to wonder
what awful birth
had tipped the balance
of the world,
the olive branch
in his hand suddenly
meaningless,
just another limb
cut off from its source.
*Inspired by the painting “The Annunciation” by Simone Martini and Lippo Memmi, 1333.
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