Why Blue?

Matching blue to blue, music to paint by

2008-05-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

The perfect blue exists somewhere
Problem is, where to find it
In the crackle between leaves

A sliver of Robin's egg carried
far beyond the nest, forget that tree
the wily bird scatters the shell beyond

Jay's and cat smell, where else to pursue
blue In the center of some rock where gems hide
where treasure resides for the pick of the hound

Blue in an ice crevass far behond and below rescue
those aerial bridges arch and fall to deepest blue black
Blue that sharpens the black edge of raven feather

The lake lost to spirits and volcano cup water so deep
that measure frightens thought and myth where songs
hit the deepest blues, rich creamy voices of the night

Blue smoke, blue fog, blue silver mirrors, blue frozen
faces at blue windows, the music shines and chips
broken glass and the blue fingernails of the girl you loved

Bonita Richardson
2/19/2001

About Blue2Remember

2008-05-24T14:23:00.001-07:00

Weeks before Mom passed, she asked a dear friend to paint her fingernails blue. None of us knew why.

Those bluebird, turquoise blue nails lit up her fragile face; like the tiny spot of 'Dutchman's breeches' blue that brings smiles on dismal, gray days.

Only days later, it seems, the hospital chaplain presented our family with a passage quilt for Mom to enjoy during her final days with us. The predominate color? Sky blue, turquoise blue, Mom's lovely shade of robin's egg blue.

Mom's dear friend brought the bottle of blue nail polish to Mom's Life Celebration, the day we broke ground for Bonnie's Garden.

To honor Mom, we each had our own bit of blue painted on a nail.

My first birthday without Mom and my first Mother's Day without Mom weren't as lonely as they could have been.

I have only to look at my own spot of blue to remember.

It wasn't until the day she left that her poem "Matching blue to blue..." was discovered.

Blue2Remember

2008-05-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

Any blue sky day, look around you.
Smiles.
Any gray sky day, look up.
See a patch of blue
as big as a pair
of Dutchman's breeches?
Smile.
I look at one nail,
painted blue
to remember you
I smile.