You Can Paint What I Cannot Write

I ask you to paint.
You, on the other hand
want me to write again.

But the ink in all my pens 
has dried
and I am left here stranded
abandoned
Trying to capture with millions and millions
of words, what you could easily paint
in the stroke of a brush –

and when I think of the places we’ve been to
and the faces we’ve seen
and the conversations whose endings we left
thawing in rum and coke glasses I wonder –

I wonder.
What colors would you use to paint the 
S I L E N C E? 
That silence which lingers amidst grins of agreement
That silence that screams heartbreak and jealousy

And if you were to paint me 
on the day you were leaving
would you have the tears trickling out of my
left eye
or right eye?

And if you were to paint yourself
Would you make your chest big enough? 
-	with a rib cage to fit this universe and all the planets in it - 
and a monumental heart that has welcomed
every person it has met

Draw my hair – every strand a kite we run with
Draw your hands in mine – different dimensions collide at their touch
Draw our feet hanging out of white sheets – even the monsters beneath your bed would admire

I want to hold you, lullabies
I want to see you, rainbows lingering on eyelashes
I want to set you free, ukuleles on speeding highways
I want to love you, white gowns and church bells

You make me feel things all the books in the libraries I have been to have failed to describe.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2013



Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 4/30/2025 11:52:00 PM
Thanks for sharing this... exposing your thoughts through your unique poetic style. Meanwhile, I greet you with the love of the Lord, expressed by John 3:16 of the Bible, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Be blessed.
Login to Reply
Date: 1/23/2016 11:12:00 PM
MAYA, Enjoyed the way you expressed every line. Always with LUV **SKAT**
Login to Reply
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Reflection on the Important Things

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter
Hide Ad