Murphy

I.

Never change
always as she is now
an image of slight snow
Pale hands tugging at the ends
of canvas tan hair

Dark pistachio eyes
framed by eggplant lashes
cheeks shine when tearstained
hair concealing self-proclaimed
less-than-perfect ears

An array of complex features
yet a simple sheet of paper
beautiful wingspan of art and loyalty
never to toy around
not simple nor stickstraight
yet relating
to our minor differences.

II.

I have loved her
across tables of despair and drought
across cramping plains of cancer
and the inedible consuming mess of
angry swallows

More a sister than a friend now
a faithful ladybird at my window
not a thought passes without
consideration of her opinion

III.

We two have seen
the changes of the seasons
from schoolbus orange Autumn
into the deepblue blanket of winter
across the pixie-green Spring that came early then late
and again into the yellow fishnet of the summer

We two have seen
the changes in ourselves
dyed hair and panes of glass
new scars and applejuice zing

Mattress kisses and new hands to hold
an orange rake peeking through the
garage windows and into subtlety
losing one love and finding another

And when it comes time to depart
I hope it goes down in a ship of
instrumental tunes
arts and crafts and terrible scissorcutting
because wherever she may go
my heart may follow

may we always find love for one another.