Painting in Perfect Light

I'm afraid to wake up
from this part of my daydream

afraid that you might
really hear what my heart
is whispering and realize
that you need to hurt me now
instead of later

you've made it so easy for me
to see you lit perfectly
and the artist in me
would love to paint these words
in every shade I can think of

if it were my place
to paint you at all

funny that my muse
can so easily say
the things I can't articulate
when you are right there
to hear them

it's not my style
to get tongue-tied
but it happens more often
than you would imagine
in that perfect light

I'm not saying
poetry is my last resort

but when I wake up
I will still have written every word
and maybe you will have heard
more than I think you have

or at least enough
to want to hear more

whether I should be saying it
and you should be listening
is a discussion I hope we don't
have to have
until the answer doesn't hurt
if ever that day comes

I keep hoping that you will enjoy
the act of being painted
as much as I find I enjoy
painting you in this perfect light

Don McGonigal
February 2006