In recognition of Poetry Month, and to celebrate and highlight our treasure trove of Orcas Island poets, Orcas Issues is pleased and honored to again offer daily poetry during April.

Auntie Moses (for Eileen)

— Lin McNulty —

An artist by self-declaration.

She carefully dips a new brush
Onto a palette of freshly-squirted oils.
When yellow mixes with blue,
She sighs at the new green created.

…..Too bright…
…………She cleans her brush.

She strokes the canvas with a soft pastel,
Thinned with a dollop more water.
Mauve merges with burgundy
To recreate a wilting wisteria.

…..Too soft…
…………She trims her brush.

She visualizes a frenzied red river
On a decaying wall mural.
The red stops flowing
Becomes a tapestry of gray.

…..Too sad…
…………She sells her brush.

She sets her palette aside
Just in time
To capture on long-wrinkled paper
one bright, glowing word
as heart art for an anxious ear.

© 6/15/02 Lin McNulty

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