You wanted to see me
Shadowed by a prism
So I might seem like a rainbow

You wanted me
To adorn myself in greens
Purples and blue effervescences
But I felt made
To be and ordinary bird
Whose feathers blend with the cracks in the sidewalk
(people always
Cage the showy things)

You bought me a blue hat
That smelled, looked, felt
Expensive and new
A lovely gift, but still
Not right for wearing
Since I felt best
Cloaked in gray
(the rest would have to be content
In my mediocre paintings)

So you took me to a store
And told me to choose
Whatever I wished
You hoped, yet I still
Brought back my colors
Which weren’t really colors
Blacks and grays and whites
Exasperated, you shoved
A blue dress into my face and arms
you said it was beautiful
because I was in it; I turned scarlet
loved your rare compliments
but it didn’t feel right
(we left
Without spending a dime)

We stopped
For a brief dreary interlude
But the looks didn’t
You were still dismayed
I was still all storm cloud gray

One day
When you weren’t there to see
I used all my fury: transformed

You came home
And I had become
A blue dress, chopped and flowy
Perfect for you
(you still haven’t worn it)