You’re an artist -
you say you’ve gotten back
into painting?
When you’ve got the time,
give me a palette:
mix me shades of hurt
so I can paint my own landscape.

Mix me hurt
and shock,
some unexpected hideous color:
“I can't believe they said that to me.”

Mix me hurt
and fear,
a shade that makes you sick to your stomach just to look at.
“What will happen now, how will I survive?”

Mix me hurt
and anger,
some hot bright uncomfortable,
in your face can’t miss it color:
“How could they? **** them, **** them, **** them.”

Mix me hurt
and letdown,
this one’s a dull color:
“I thought....
but I should have known.”

Mix me hurt
that’s just sorrow,
the deepest shade of them all,
escapes poetry, escapes all words -
I won’t even try.

Give me the shades of hurt
and I will paint you a landscape of my life.