let me paint you a landscape
a deep arizona canyon
with a setting sun
a fiery red horizon and a deep deep blue straight up
just enough light to cast dying shadows on the rock face
its from a distance looking down and up the bowls of the canyon
just a place where a giant let his feet drag from where you are
a red volcanic ground
but a muddy red
everything is a different shade of red
even the browns are more red than that
layers and layers of rock and shadow
and shadow
and maybe a hawk silhouette against the twilight sky
let me write you a song to the painting
violins running a simple high melody to the rock faces
a cello maybe a horn or two for the sunset
maybe even a little guitar for the blue
and finally an oboe running so high that you almost don
t notice it
the oboe (like the bird) climbs up over the rocks
pitting its shadow against that of the land
up over the one cloud still visible against the setting sky
trying so hard to reach the sun
to dance with the sun
like i wanted to dance with you
and like you looked for yourself for other things
but it cant quite reach
the lofty sun
because it is hidden behind the mountain
and you are hidden to me
and so the bird is trapped just above the horizon
just like my painting for you
trapped just above your threshold of compassion
so you burn it and the sheet music
that i have given you along with
the landscape