Colorful Truth

White

the color we must not stain

always

new sneakers

a wedding dress

dad’s car

and history

Maybe the world has been waiting for

the courage

of your spilt wine

my dropped coffee

his greased hands

her grass rubbed jeans

their ice pop melts

and a child’s lunch to be left on a sleeve

Maybe bleach can be thrown away this year

because there’s no need to rid the soul

of sprinkled spirit

and vibrant marks

left behind from the truth

Maybe the sun was meant to birth shadows

and float in a black sky

to shade the sharp contrast of being human

And maybe colors should be allowed to be colors

instead of tiers

dictating when we can hug our moms again

The world has been waiting

for the removal of orange cones

the cutting of red tape

the healing of purple bruises

and the sound of relief

in a white house turning blue

We are done with this grey

this dance of not knowing

to hope sadness can stay in the news

and not visit us

at 3 am

in a brother’s shaking voice

As I sit in my office

I hold the colorful truth of so many

what society wishes to paint over

with white concrete

It is lovely to know

being a social worker

will always be my story

but I will never be the only author

And we are ready now

for the white emptiness

of never going to get through this

to turn into the iridescent glow

lining the blinds in the morning

when we do