Poem: "Whenever I See Your Colors"

[ysabetwordsmith]

This poem was written outside the regular prompt calls, inspired by memories of Shirley Barrette. It has been sponsored by Anthony Barrette.


"Whenever I See Your Colors"

Whenever I
see your colors,
I think of you.

There in the olive
and the harvest gold,
the stone rose and
the desert sage and
the dusty country blues --

all the old hippie hues
that looked so good on you
and so bad on me.

I see you in the mauve
and the mocha of the drylands,
the muted peach of late summer.

You are in the rusted petals
of chrysanthemums and
the unexpected bronze
of the orchid blossoms.

In the dusky purple smoke
of the mountains I see
your shadow walking,
never farther away
than the twilight.

In the soft pink hollow
of a seashell there lies
a memory of you, curled
with the sound of waves on
the beaches where we walked.

The warm gray coat of a cat's fur
holds an echo of your touch;
the tawny gleam of wheat
recalls the sun-warmed
scent of your perfume.

You are everywhere
and nowhere all at once.

Even the light in all its speed
reminds me of you, but

the colors go about
their business unconcerned.

All the edges of the world are
a little blurred for missing you,
the crystal of each instant
streaked like tears in rain.

No matter how long
we stay apart,
your colors will remain.

Whenever I see them,
I think of you.