Never up in the Stars

Hues

A palette of hues

From the pitch-black of my irises,

To the clean white tips of my unpolished nails

From the dark purpling blue of my bruises

To the bright garnet of my slightly chapped lips

The golden-green in my eyes

Goes well with the shimmering blonde of my hair

I stand before my mirror and see

The dark brown birthmarks on my arms

The tan lines (left from this summer's trip to the sea)

That leave zebra-striped patches of dark and light on my back

I see the blue of my veins on my wrists

Contrasting the harsh red marks that slash across them, that are starting to fade

My eyes glide to the light pink of my nail beds

And then to the harsh pink of the rash where my thighs touch

I see the yellow of my calluses

And the yellow of the sunlight hitting my hair, just so

The bags under my eyes are a gradient of blue to purple

Flowing down from the whites in my eyes

I turn, and my reflection turns with me

I see the red blisters on my heels, from my day job

And, above, the glistening beads of sweat on the backs of my knees

Polka dots and stripes decorate my legs

And lines crease by my eyes where I have laughed

Beautiful, bright,

Lively and lovely

My body is a palette of hues.