A Paint Bucket of Words

What's up?

"Hey," you say, "What's up?"

Huh? What's up?

Is it just my head or the thoughts inside

that are floating in the air?

Or do you ask about the sky that's up?

Which looks eternal blue now

As if a roof I cannot reach. 

Is it the calming blue

Or the blue that reflects

the sadness of those below?

Sometimes it has visitors-

Cottony lands children see. 

In fact, they carry so much cold, you know

the rain, the hail and the snow, 

I'd like to think they carry a bit warmth in them too

As a hundred dreams and wishes unsaid

or silly letters to tooth fairies. 

But clouds are just condensed water, they say (hmph!)

Or is it the air that's up and around?

Or the lone sun that burns?

Is it its will to nurture that it shines

Or its anger as it envies

the moon, laughing with the stars?

Is it heaven that's up?

But Christopher* argues it doesn't exist

Still I'd like to believe it's true

That somewhere wishes are realised

and there surely are happily ever afters. 

Is it the birds that are up

Or the aeroplanes that mimic them

Flying to their hearts' content?

Oh! I see kites above my head

Which colour the sky

in freedom and joy. 

I see the rainbows after rain

A promise of hope. 

"Wait, what did you ask again? "

"I asked what's up? How do you do? "

"That, well I don't know

You see, I am still figuring out. 

Won't settle with just, 'I'm doing well'

No. Not this time."

Zaynab

8 October 2020

*Christopher is the protagonist of the book, 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time' by Mark Haddon.