is red a primary color?

late evening left over chatter 

while she teaches the young girls

the fundamentals of coffee house art

i’m listening thru layers 

of walls and the spaces between us

ith red a primary color? 

the toddler musters the words 

with a lisp and bucked teeth

too adorable to ignore

so rudimentary, her thoughts 

i strain at the sink

wiping lip stick 

from a rich woman’s coffee mug

tapping my foot beneath its

stainless steel basin

picasso is in the kitchen beside me

relearning to color like a kindergartener

while their little beautiful eyes

have yet to understand

negro brown or indian red or chinese yellow

or the other little racist crayons

taken out of the sixty four pack

a modern day beatnick 

stretches his philosophy

across the cushioned chairs in front

of a six decade old set of congas

-- the girls don’t know what pretentious means yet

an old towel dries two hands

scalding water turned

salmon pink

funny how i don’t recall

caucasian peach ever being there at all

Reviews

[Brittany Zedalis]

╰☆╮This is so clever. It reminded me how annoyed I get when I see the ridiculous names of certain colors.╰☆╮

[Dean]

You work has proved a double bonus for me today---the enjoyment of a most creative poet, and the chance to read not only something new--but other terrific poets as well to add to my attention--today and in the future! A gift, indeed.

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

I'm here reading, again and again saying prayers for the world....soaking up the great mysteries of your wonderful poetic atmosphere!

[Rene Velez]

Well written and image driven, a slight error in the 3rd stanza. Well enjoyed.

[Mia Sparrow]

i remember such crayons when i was a child. i can't believe how blatantly racist some colors were and the innocence of childhood made us unaware of it. we grew up without knowing that something so inocuous as a box of crayons were making us desensitized and accepting of something so insidious. remember 'all in the family.' forget about it. it still this goes on in the mainstream and people just accept it. in few words you make poignant commentary on the human condition that reminds us to be more mindful of what we expose our children to.

[Rita L. Sev]

When I was little, that "peach" crayon was called "flesh"... Your poem sets an important scene, Xavier, and reminds us how lessons learned in youth make a huge impact.

[h d e rushin]

a friend of mine wrote an article on the fundamental function of crayons; on how color
in children, is a hitchhker of sorts, jumping onto whatever moving vehicle may pass. On how
it can be fashionable or hip to have a box with colors you cant understand the use of. It
took Picasso to move beyond his own since of seasoning to see a world other than a blue one.
Color and color scheme are two different animals.

When I was a child, crayons came in a box of eight and if your parents had money, a box
of 10...

wonderful ideas here x.
Just wonderful

dana

[Sami Khalil]

You paint a perfect picture of learning from innocence and no pretension. Those beautiful eyes that are windows to the soul and the world, will take in to process information and understand reality. Excellent, sir...:)..............

[Chris]

This one took me back to places remembered... It read well and left a great aftertaste of real. I'm glad I came and paused...

[paul sal.....]

yes..................................................coooool