Yellow

Yellow is a bright six-legged bug
and the color of teeth after too much coffee.
Yellow is my disposition
and the sun upon tulips.
Yellow is the movie Old Yeller which made me cry
and the color of banana pudding.
Yellow is my favorite pullover sweater
and the gumball that rolled around and down the track.
Yellow is a croquet ball on a balmy Florida evening
and the color of our Volkswagon.
Yellow is the sunflowers she loved
and the color of the lemonade I made for her
memorial service.

She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child.

Barbara Alpert