The Evergreen Painting

When he died

My saturation fell to twenty percent

Days faded like a sepia movie

With him all life's color left

.

But then simple things

A kind word

A smile

An explosive sunset

Dropped a few cents

Into my saturation bucket

.

Eventually new colors appeared

In my wheel of life

Hues I had never seen

Broke through my grief

.

Now my life's palette is different

Pain changed it

But after awhile it got more vibrant

I had to choose that

.

I have his sea-foam eyes

And Irish rosy cheeks

Yet the wisdom he gave me

Is the treasure I seek

.

I carry on his shades and tints

As I create a new kind of painting

Mixing in the unique colors

Gained from life on the daily

.

One day I too will pass on

this color wheel to my children

They will use my life's rainbow

To create a masterpiece of their own

.

And the colors of life’s expressions

Bleed onto the next generation

Continually creating a living

Evergreen painting