who: a revolutionary and writer
what: murdered
when: soaking in cool water to ease skin ailment
where: at home, in bathtub with cover for desktop
why: politics and passion
how: stabbed by a young woman
disregard Marat's skin disease
focus on the victim's face and vulnerability
use his white turban to suggest halo
elevate a domestic scene to tragedy
make Marat, friend of the people, a martyr
portray the rebel as a still life
unite tribute and propaganda
light: dramatic
colors: somber
setting; austere
size: larger than life
pose: borrow from a pieta
the victim: at peace while bloodied
the assassin: leave her out
Pat Tompkins is an editor in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her poems have appeared most recently in the Aurorean, red lights, and Astropoetica.