The artist and his four models were walking along the steep path towards the beach

It was a steep descent made all the more difficult by the equipment that was being carried

Frank was unable to carry much as he had lost his arm in the war

He had sketched a little but this was to be his first painting for over five years

It was to be called Sappho and her Women

And had already been sold to a gallery in the capital city

Although the war had injured his body it had also injured his mind and for a long time after he had not ventured into his studio

He had lost many friends and their faces haunted him still

Bertie, Sam, Percy and Phil
Were also artists
But now lay still

Before the war they had taken this path and had painted on the beach

They swam together and often with the models

But only Frank survived

As they approached the beach a jump of about three feet was necessary as storms had washed away the path

The four models

Ann, Fran, San and Tan

Jumped with ease

But as Dominic Dan his assistant jumped the pot of paint he was carrying slIpped from his grasp and shattered on a nearby rock

Two cream butterflies suddenly turned gold

They flew upwards

Towards the sun

They were the happiest creatures on the beach

Dominic, Dominic come thee hither
Frank the artist has brought a zither

That is for later little Fran
Treat it with care
And hand it to Ann

With difficulty Frank managed to negotiate the final jump and walked towards the sea

Many artists have crossed this sea
Brazille John and you and me

Frank smiled weakly at his assistant who was setting up the easel

But only we returned

The four models were in various stages of undress as Frank walked across to them

I am not painting Venus Emerging from the Waves

The models stopped undressing

You will only need to be partially undressed a breast here a breast there as I want her poetry to be the narrative of the work

Then we should be covered in drapes

Each of you should choose a different coloured drape and when you are done I will arrange your positioning near these rocks

Fran chose a red drape which she hung from her naked shoulders

Tan chose a violet drape

Ann chose a white drape

And San chose a green drape

Dominic Dan would you cover that small rock with a blue drape
Choose the old one if you will
It will encourage the models to keep very still

But we will be as still as the day once you start
As each of us knows that you care for your art

You fidget like butterflies models four

Frank said looking out to sea

Tan watched as Dominic Dan set up Frank’s chair in front of the easel

Dominic Dan the painter’s man
Is sweet on me but also Fran  

Frank’s assistant blushed as San in a state of undress walked towards him and kissed him on the cheek

When we leave this beach
When this day is done
You will need to choose the special one

Frank took the model by the hand and led her back to the others

Young lady I am not a painter, painters paint houses

I am an artist with only one arm who used to have two but if is God’s will it will have to do

Who will be Sappho Frank?

Ann you have the white drape so you will be Sappho. You will need to sit uppermost on the rock with the others in your shadow. Cover your breasts as I only want to see your naked shoulder but try not to let your drape come into contact with the sea

Why?

Because it spoils the material and the drape soon loses its colour

Tan would you sit directly in front of Ann and Fran and om the opoosie side from loving San

Then I will sit opposite my sisters

Yes, but with your back to me looking up to your sister highest on the rock in admiration

Ann, Fran, San and Tan took up their positions but Frank was still not satisfied

It is all about a triangle.I need a triangle and Ann should be the apex of this triangle

But I want her sisters to move into different positions in front of her. I will stop them when I can see the  triangle

For some minutes the models moved into different positions until Frank saw his triangle

Dominic Dan had arranged the brushes and paints in the order that he knew Frank would use them and slowly the painting took shape

To relax the models Dominic Dan played the zither and read from the poets work

If I may be so bold
When was your painting sold?

Keep still young Ann
I am painting Fran

Nothing else was said and Frank continued painting

His remaining arm had begun to ache but he ignored the pain

The arm that I lost hurts me more

Frank suddenly said

But better one arm than forgotten and dead

The afternoon was beginning to age and the sun although still high was beginning its journey into the night

Sisters four I have added the colour
Take a swim before the day gets duller

The models disrobed and ran naked into the low waves

The sea would soon cover the whole beach as it did every day

But not until the stars were near

I will stay with Dominic Dan
And we will discuss the day
As well as we can

Both men watched as the sisters frolicked in the sea

All women are really mermaids Dan they long to be creatures of the sea. As I painted the sisters they did not look at me or you but at the sea. They longed for the sea and the sea longed to share their beauty

It is all about beauty is it not Frank?

It is all about beauty and this was all that kept me going during that dreadful war

The thoughts of beauty of days like this watching the mermaids playful in the sea

I never had your experience Frank

I glad you were not with me as it would have ruined your life as it did mine

I prayed to God every night that your eyesight would remain poor and that you would be confined to an office pushing a pen instead of using a gun

I feel a cheat

You are no cheat, I was the cheat, I cried a lot ,not at first you know but as I lost my friends however the worst experience I had did not involve a friend

It was not about losing my arm.

It happened on a beach very much like this one across the sea

Frank stopped as tears were welling in his eyes

Carry on Frank when you feel ready
Stiffen your back
And you will feel steady

I was walking along a beach where heavy fighting had previously taken place when in the sand I found part of a skull probably from a soldier like me whose head had been blown apart

I thought of him as young as you,I thought of his sweetheart of his parents sad and these were the thoughts that drove me mad

I collapsed a cried like an infant rare
My life was raw, my emotions bare

The older man wiped his tears with his artists rag

Soon I will have vermillion eyes Dominic Dan

It was your fate that you were in the hospital when the shell hit your ward

It was a kind fate you know as I might just have been a pile of flesh rotting on the battlefields with many others

I just lost an arm but the shell did not destroy my eyes I still see beauty in everything

In this painting which I would have gladly given to the sisters or to you had not been sold

There is no beauty in war

I agree, there is no beauty in war

Ann, Fran, San and Tan emerged from the sea

We sisters are exhausted may we climb the path before our strength totally leaves us?

Dominic Dan threw a towel to each of the sisters  

Then dress before you catch a chill
There is work to be done
And I don’t want you ill

The two golden butterflies watched the gathering below as they flew from tree to tree

They were the happiest creatures on the beach

On a tree nearest to the sea they rested and spread their wings so that the sun would reflect its full colour

We were once black butterflies soiled by war
But beauty rescued us once once more

As Frank, Dominic and the sisters climbed the steep path towards his house both the golden butterflies flew upwards away from the tree, away from the beach and headed towards the low sun

In a while we will take to the skies
And plan the sunset
For each of their eyes

An hour later Frank, Dominic, Ann, Fran, San and Tan sat on the rough tables that overlooked the beach which was now in the shadow of the cliff

From their vantage they could not see the dying sun which was setting behind them

Without display Frank left the others and stood looking in the opposite direction when the far away cliffs were bathed in a magical light

Come sisters, come friend do share this with me
The night, the sunset and the golden sea

From that moment Frank’s war ceased