Brushstrokes

she's gifted, you know?
that's what the administrators
at our school say of her.
she's "exceptional", "amazing"
"vibrant" and "eclectic".
she has her own style.
I've watched her work,
watched her splay the brush
back and forth, making art
quicker than anyone I have ever known.
with simple brushstrokes,
an inanimate object
comes to life.

I envy her,
green as I can be–
I want her gift. I want
to be able to slap my hand
on a canvas and leave my mark.
it's her legacy,
it's going to follow her down
the line of years ahead of us.
her children's children will be
stamped with her genius.

isn't that what artistry
is all about?