The Rainbows in My Chest

if i move one way, the purple sneaks up under my rib and pokes me.

the blue sits low in my belly.

the red and orange stay up all night, gossiping.

the green and yellow flirt relentlessly.

within the changing shades, you can see me

look close,

lean in

cant you see my little nose

my freckled cheeks

my crooked tooth

the colors found a home in me and i found a home in the colors

my world is more than rose colored

please

don’t let them drain

don’t let them turn into the markers in my old classrooms, dried and crusty from small hands not knowing how to be gentle.

i pray that my eyes never seen true vision

i only want to see the unrealistic saturated life i see now

don’t take my colors

not even the orange

i cannot bear to live

without the rainbows in my chest.