Painting Dreams

Dr Abe V Rotor

Award winning entry on Painting Dreams, by Leo Carlo Rotor, 12 (2001)

There was once a girl on a meadow

gathering wild flowers for the rainbow,

matching their colors to the tiniest hue

whereupon a shower made them glow.

There was once a boy with new shoes,

down the street he went, heralding the news

with everything dissolving in a hazy view,

whereupon he rode down the avenue.

There was an old man walking with a cane;

he saw the girl with flowers in her hair,

he saw the boy whistling down the lane,

and asked where go they beyond their lair.

I don't know, said she; neither I, said he,

the world is wide why bother where we'll be;

'til the winds blew and the flowers faded,

and soon and far enough the road ended.

And the old man walked on, and on,

at his feet lay flowers strewn on the road,

and saw footsteps barely to the sight shone

in the sunset draped by a holy shroud.

And this the children painted in kaleidoscope

in versions a thousand thoughts blend;

their dreams do make for what they hope

lest pride makes that hope in despair end. ~