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