The Perfect Painting
How do you feel alive?
My family said I had never felt alive because I was only eight.
I was left in awe by their words.
I picked up a brush and swore to make them feel my joy, grief, tranquility, rage, love, and heartbreak.
My joy for success.
My grief for friends.
My tranquility in a library.
My rage at siblings.
My love for a family.
And my heartbreak for losing a family member.
I would paint them my feelings and leave nothing out.
I decided to show only my family, and only once.
I had created the perfect painting.
Everything I was I put on a piece of canvas.
They gathered around.
I revealed all the joy, grief, tranquility, rage, love, and heartbreak I have ever known all at once.
They could only stare.
I told them, "This is what I feel. This is what makes me feel alive."
They couldn't believe their eyes.
So I took it down and I burnt my perfect painting.
6/2/2014
Copyright © Michi Watts | Year Posted 2014
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