Retrace

Pencil to paper, a line, a trace,
a memory long ago, a shape, a face,
Shadow and shade, expression, depression,
Her eyes stare back, recession, digression,
Palm accross the sheet, forget it, erase,
Start over again, a line, a trace,
Find a new memory, a time, a place,
Think hard and long, no when, no space,
A page lays blank, just words, RETRACE!
Jump to the next, new name, new face,
Shadow and shade, nearly there, almost done,
She's almost complete, but no, still none,
Rip up the page, ball up the sheet, Retrace,
Out of memories, page lays blank, no face,

Past lays crumpled, paper balls on covered floor,
Each sheet a mistake, gone, they exist no more,
Staring down at the white abyss, an empty void,
The artist has no more, his vision destroyed.