Painted Blue Poem by Nika McGuin

I forgave you long ago
The anger that masked my hurt
long since took wings and flew away
like bluebirds, over the mountain peaks
and out of sight

The memories too are fading fast
like scenes from a movie that I
no longer remember, even though
it used to be my favorite

Like tiny treasures
I once held them close to my bosom
afraid the hands of time
would take hold and erase them
bit by bit, one by one

But it was too hard
holding onto them by my lonesome
my arms grew heavy
and fell open like floodgates

Painted blue, like the rapids
that for a while, ran rough
the bluebirds have come and gone

As calm as the turquoise moon at dawn
my heart, wrapped in lapis silk