Les Alyscamps

(two paintings of Les Alyscamps by Vincent Van Gogh and a photo by Beth Leonard))

walking the shaded Alyscamps where
Van Gogh painted the tree trunks blue
old sarcophagi, empty now -
sent down the river
alone in the breeze,
below blue trees
lichen now, enjoying
the sun,
tombs, forgotten
now Dante
"their covers were all raised up in our view
and out of them such harsh lamenting rose
as from a wretched and a wounded crew"