a mystery to fathom in a famous frame
smiling from canvas with story to tell
oh lady of the portrait oh lady of fame
the painter captured your face so well
those who study art ponder and ruminate
on the enigmatic pose that doth beguile
no brush strokes conveying your mind state
angles inspected of daubed profile
yet the secret stays ever concealed
baffling them all with slightly turned lip
nothing of the puzzle being so revealed
closeted away in an artist's dip
Leonardo da Vinci yielded scant insight
on masterfully shading the subject's light