Determine

The shadow falls, barely perceptible,
A curtain drawn, perhaps.
On the shrouded, domestic scene.
The monotone oil fails to obscure the submissive mood.
Aprons to protect from washing suds or the taint of sickness.
An institutional uniform,
To subsume fracture and desolation.
A habit perhaps, but neither hats nor veils worn.
Removed on this occasion.
Not nuns or maids
The mood here is determined.
The askance glance,
The tilt of the head,
Solace from the older to the younger child
Seeking succour from each other.
Paint understated, colour rarely variable
Mood distinctive despite the tones :
Mournful.
Lacking colour.
Bereft of mother and father.
The incipient meaning found.