A Strip of Mary Jane

A Strip of Mary Jane
(In response to a painting by Danielle Riccio.)

The clippings of a newspaper Mary Jane
are strewn across me,
blocking your view.
They mimic the exact colors of my eyes…
do you even know the color of my eyes?
Their rim of black is growing darker…

Their deep blue shadows cast stained-glass memories
that shed a dim light on hidden features,
reminding you of a past you can’t quite remember.

What shadows do you have?

I am not the tan of my skin,
nor the black rims of my eyes,
but I am all of the colors you never seem to remember.

The just-past-ripe strawberry red,
the ouch-that-really-hurt bruise green,
the those-jeans-are-too-dark type of blue.

In the ‘black’ of my hair
where you don’t bother to look,
those muted colors are showcased,
but entwined with the forgotten colors
is a single strip of Mary Jane
forcing me into place.

 

Jenn XXXX