SELF-PORTRAIT The painting arose partly out of my reading the work of Roy Campbell... introduction to his work by T.S. Eliot... - Alex Colville In this painting the horse is given preference. Which is the way with tragic figures. Destined to gallop headlong across the ties       unsoftly into that harsh light             toward closed       parallel Death. Framed by twin rails so steeped in tradition       there is no thought that favours perspective. Still. At this juncture       (where steam freezes             & hooves never touch the ground) One stares amazed & believes /almost/ The guts of this crazy. Fucker. That obscures the real. Cold villain. Identifying nowhere. All Loco Motive Force Vanishes