Once, one stroke captured an eternity

Paint full of life, color

Brushes light, and full

Painting everything, nothing

The walls grew cluttered

The frames full of color

An imagination crammed with life

But. Color faded, and

She painted in shades of grey

Those last years

Her brushstrokes harsh, jagged

And unforgiving

She painted with hopelessness, sorrow

Her brushstrokes short, dull

She painted, yes

But it held no joy

Until the paint ran out

Brushes fell apart

And she painted no more

All around, frozen images stare, expectant

Waiting for their painter

To paint once more.

One last time, brushes are grasped

Pigmant mixed with a shaking hand

And one last time

The brush hovers, pausing

Until finally it takes it's last, tired strokes

As the painter paints herself into the sky