A Portrait of You

Image Credits: JR Korpa on Unsplash.

Quietly staring at an empty canvas

I freeze every single thought

Yet your smile brings back memories of sadness

Memories you wish I forgot

So I will paint you a portrait of all our pains

Our joy and our regret

And piece together our shattered remains

Of our crystalline duet

I start with green, meadows and trees

The air, fresh with morning dew

A seafoam dress and emerald rings

All in harmony with you

The crashing waves, the ocean blue

The infinite sky above me

A storm of the tropics, I rained monsoons

To quench the thirst of green

And when the sun rises, her yellow light

Glistens in your earthy eyes

So fear not child, this sleepless night

Has ended, the sea now dries

With orange comes adventure, a fiery rush

I create as I speak

But when there is no time, but a quiet hush

The sun begins to recede

Then I paint with red, a vibrant hue

Of blood, fire, and anger

A kiss then lies, which one is true

I never feared the danger

Brown wet earth, beneath our feet

Our tears go unseen

I dare not say that I am weak

And wish you come back to me

The night brings black, I cannot see

The nights are quiet and cold

What good is fire, when the winter breeze

Blows fire to cinders and smoke

A silver moon, and silver linings

In moonlight you are most alive

A kiss for you in longful pining

O sultry shadow of the night

Drips of white, starlit skies

And the beaming alpenglow

When the world was cold, you were mine

But like the moon, you had to go

A violet dawn, and a violet spring

A violent burst of light

I will see you again just to hear you sing

Gone is the innocence of white

And with each stroke and every color

The story of you and me

And if you asked if I would choose any other

I would paint a world where you were free

Your smile brings me sadness

Because it veils so much pain

But I hope with this painted canvas

You will one day live with joy again

Andrew Folkler