She navigates

Vermilion seas

She samples and holds

The light she sees.

Gesso on a fabric desert, eyes like twin blue suns,

Tries to cool the shadows, on an oil-covered court.

Scrubbing at her canvas, as the yellow ochre runs

Opening an access, to a cobalt liquid port.

She navigates

Vermilion seas

She samples and holds

The light she sees.

Brushes drip a viscous flow, focused in the night

Rides the acrid paint smell where she stands

Noise between the AM stations coughs a grainy light

Strobes against the camel hairs pointing from her hand.

She navigates

Vermilion seas

She samples and holds

The light she sees.

Colors fill the fabric sails

Her knife scrapes umber storms

Peering through translucent veils

Sketch encrusted forms.

She knew she'd never have a failure of nerve

But she ebbs and flows, tired eyes now beauty blind.

Paint's achieved a dry crust, not easy to serve

A palette's archeology, that brush so turpentined.

She navigates

Vermilion seas

She samples and holds

The light she sees.