Marcel Duchamp, Interior view of Etant donnés: 1º la chute d'eau / 2º le gas d'éclairage (Given: 1. The Waterfall /2. The Illuminating Gas), 1946-66 © 2000 Succession Marcel Duchamp ARS, N.Y./ADAGP, Paris

Into the Vitrine

The hand melted down in carbon
like ash
but veined
palpably

Fingers in a throttle
and over all
of course
wax

Into the vitrine
it all went
Visibility held its charms
but oh so old

And so closeted in glass
no stench arose.

Rrose Sélavy,
she said.

Harriet Zinnes, 1999