The healthy technician stole a painting by Vincent

From an art gallery

In the city of angels

It was a painting of sunflowers in a vase

He kept it in a darkened room

As he could not afford to power the single bulb

The sunflowers brought him a joy

That he had not experienced

Since the Marquesa Brigida Spinola Doria

Had returned to Spain

During the long winter

The healthy technician

Kept himself warm

By imagining

The light of the south

And the splendid yellow suns of August

He often ran his palms

Along the contours

Of his small damp room

And dreamt of willow trees

In deep deep sunlight

Awaiting the gentle breezes

Of the days decline

Before he retired each night

The healthy technician would eat olives

From a terracotta bowl

And wash them down

With a glass of northern wine