still life

a poem

a moment is a landscape

of many colors;

each one mixed with and highlighted by others.

a shadow’s edge

drawn by the golden light of the setting sun—

the most beautiful thing i’ve seen all day.

eyes heavy-lidded.

and the irony—

one corner of my mouth turns up at this

picturesque sarcastic joke—

because sadness shouldn’t be beautiful,

but it often is.

and calmness finds me here,

longing for what was—

takes my hand and pulls me toward

marveling at what is.

and i guess

i, too,

am made beautiful by subtle contrast.

the first star of the night

appears in the gradient horizon;

somewhere between the orange and blue of the sky.

waikiki beach sunset 2022

thank you for reading 🖤

em

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