Painter
By YA
Painter, change the color of my painting
Give it a little bit of color ‘cause it’s dark
Put some sky blue so I can have a taste of liberty
Erase these walls that hold me down
And add some wings to me
To fly far away from my captivity
‘Cause my daily living is sad and full of darkness
And many rain clouds gather around me
Leaving me wet of pain and cold in my soul
Paint a brilliant sun in my life so I can get dry
Because I’ve been trying to get dry with this cold breeze
But instead of getting dry I get more cold
Add the word home in my road
And the word family in my future
And I’ll be grateful the rest of my entire life
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I like the extended metaphor. Mostly, I like the first line because it’s different from the usual sentimental treatment, using darkness and cold to suggest spiritual depression. You directly address a painter, which makes me thing the “painter” might double as God, and you actively address this painter, suggesting that you are not helpless despite your condition.
This was a great poem. It left us wondering, who is the painter? Is it the policy makers? Is it god? Is it our friends and neighbors? Or is it the poet himself? Whoever it is, we hope you attain this painting.