Hues of a Stroll

My neighbor’s orchid smiles at me every morning

As the coffee grounds taint the boiling water in my cup.

I like the grain.

It's real. I can feel it.

Do you know what it feels like to be numb?

The lack of color flowing through your veins,

The mind not satiated and begging for any flavor that comes its way.

Even a taste of the worst.

I've been meaning to ask you,

Does the flower growing between the fence belong to you or me?

I didn’t put it there but I’ve been nurturing it this whole year.

I saw it flourish and bud,

Watching the environment variegate its appearance.

I bonded with it, joined it on the journey within it's domain.

Oh, but don’t be jealous!

It's not your fault you were so blind to its beauty.

Staring at this blank wall in front of you,

The beige melting off into a murky matted floor,

Covered in the mud of the past days worries.

You float in a gradient of pinks and blues,

Lost in the sea of flora,

That washes up on the shore of your sorrows.

There is a glimmer somewhere on the horizon.

Shines brighter than anything you have felt before.

This wall that you see, it is no obstacle.

It is an illusion that you could walk right through,

If only you had the desire.

Walking down Friendship Avenue,

You pass many maroons,

Here and there you may spot some terracotta,

While you graze towards your lover.

Are they a strength or a sign of weakness?

Only time will tell.

And what’s that?

A bright yellow outline,

A profile on the barren sidewalk, you are still floating.

But hold on, is it yours?

Did you drop that beautiful color yesterday?

I thought it was part of you,

So close yet the sunrise was hours away.

In the end you'll need to realize,

If you don't face the primary truth,

You will tend to stick to the downward spiral of a forced complementary,

One that is undeserving.

Finding the flaws of your palette and using them to paint a true picture.

It will strengthen your story

And allow you to walk upright in the bold crimsons and royals

Rather than scurry away,

Into the murk of mistakes you failed to face.