The White Crayon

A Poem by WisdomGarden120

My view on different people in society, and how myself fit into it.

The White Crayon

Have you ever just looked at a box of crayons?

When you envision one, you picture all of your typical colors.

Red, blue, green, yellow, purple…

But what about white? It’s the color you overlooked, and had to go back and think about now that you had been reminded of its presence.

Now when I think of crayons, I think of people.

Someone who is a yellow crayon, you either like them or you hate them, there’s no in between.

Blue? Nobody dislikes blue, many love it and though some may not particularly like it nobody truly hates it.

And then there’s red, the person who is fun to be around in small amounts, but too much can be overwhelming, or this is the person who just pisses you off when you even so much as see them.

Green is the essential color, since even though it isn’t used all the time it is always the color you make sure you grab when you are picking colors to use. This is the person who always needs to simply be there in order for the group to be complete.

Purple is the one people have mixed feelings about. Very few are completely certain of their like or dislike of purple, and many debate about their opinion with others regarding purple

I look at all these Crayons, meaning the people around me, and I wonder where I fit in in the box of society. In what way will I make my mark on life’s piece of paper?

And I realized…I am the white crayon.

With the white crayon, you notice when it is present in the box, but you also notice when it is absent. But either way nobody really pays much attention to it, they’re indifferent about whether or not white is present.

It’s never easy for it to make its mark. Even after scribbling layer upon layer upon layer upon layer upon layer on a canvas still all you see is nothing, a blank piece of paper, even after the white crayon gave everything it had to try and leave a mark, even a small one.

It can be seen however, if it is layered over another color, being used to correct a mistake or to attempt to cover-up one, the one who acts as the peacekeeper and will freely take the blame just for a chance to be recognized by the other colors, even if it means simply being used by them.

But the white crayon doesn't mind, since it requires the presence of another color in order to make itself known since such a thing is impossible on its own.

There is one thing about the white crayon however, that stands out, and that is that it is strongest when put to black paper. It is in times of darkness that this individual is given the opportunity to shine and freely mark as they please, knowing that it is during this time they will be seen and remembered by the others. On black paper it is the other color’s turn to sit back and watch since their marks will simply be swallowed by the darkness, just like the whiteness engulfs and hides the white.

And afterwards, it slips back into its quiet place in the box among the other colors, waiting for it’s time to be chosen again.

I am a white Crayon, but I’m proud of it. Because even though I may not be the most popular or noticed, or the one that is chosen often, I’m happy with the fact that the box would look pretty strange without me, whether the other colors are aware of it or not.

So what color are you? What mark will you leave on the world?