A Rainbow History

I have settled on the colour that I like most,

and it ended up being a sultry pale blue,

with vivid references and fixed associations.

It’s the fantasy pigment

of water veins and sky,

of mosaic deck tile,

damp, cool and fungal,

a relief for parched feet.

The hot August concrete,

blushed my blistered soles.

It conjures chlorine stink and nylon trunks,

the dwindling summer days and a failing sun

But other hues intrude,

with equal saturation.

Patterned polyester blends,

cotton knits, and checkered tees,

black denim, and loose joggers.

Fabrics of note, stuck to a memory,

a periwinkle sweater,

a mauve button down,

the textured refuse of others,

hastily discarded on floors, tossed in laundry baskets,

marking home with a distinctive palette.

The earthy tinges,

country childhood contours,

mountain side foliage,

maples in the yard,

corn and wheat, grass and dirt,

come through strongly.

I cling to colours,

my history in rainbows,

a rich blended life.