Staring at Sunflowers, notice the        thick brushstrokes, animated        yellow        some sagging, decaying,        the puffiness of the florets        I’m soaking in every detail, trying to understand        trying to put myself in his shoes        look through his eyes

A woman steps in front of me. 

She pulls out her phone        snaps a picture        glances at the photo        on her phone        walks away.

The yellow I was staring at is replaced by red. 

I seethe, looking around the throng of people        gathered at every painting        snapping pictures on their phone        living by phone picture        photos they’re never going to look at again        y’all can literally google these paintings        you don’t need a picture!

I feel a hand grasp my hand        I’m still standing in front of Sunflowers        my partner smiles at me, knowingly

I inhale slow        embrace the gratitude Van Gogh wanted me to feel       move onto the next painting