making life on a palette

^{—after Charles Willson Peale (1741–1827), “George Washington at Princeton,” 1779}

the color of life 
takes sun yellow and bluest blue sky and water  
for green ferns 
chartreuse buds beading above moss 
dappled shamrocks 
fragrant healing of sage, laurel, 
mint, basil, thyme, rosemary, myrtle 
amid the tall wonders of juniper 
pine, olive, pear 
even the meeting of sea and river—
the sky, an intermingling of viridian and chetwode horizons,  
and cerulean clarity—
offers its green seafoam,  
its seaweed pats,  
the crocodile at the edge of a freshwater marsh 
its teeth open gritted in green 
against the backdrop of hunter rainforest 
dripping in green

heaven is a field of persian green 
lit by translucent jade and celadon lamps 
a many-roomed chateau scented by aromatic tea leaves 
the aperitivo: gin, apple, and bitter lime 
the time: midnight green 
the guardian: a mantis in prayer

joy: harlequin, verdun, spring 
magic: kaitoke forest in its energetic whisper and pulse

green must exist 
inside brother james 
would he call it camouflage 
or nyanza or sap 
for washington it’s in the colors of flags 
the fields far off 
feldgrau or military or empire green  
or dollar bill or rifle green  
revolution with chains the result 
mix the green 
like a spell in making 
safe life 
hush arbor life 
nurturing abundant life 
free life  
bring the background to the fore 
ease 
                                    ease  
              ease 
life