Lessons

Sweet boy in class makes beautiful
Painting of a lemon,
Brushed in sun hues. He loves to wash
His hands in studio sink,
Wraps fists in lather, looks up to ceiling
With pleasure.
Flowing flowing
The water on his hands
Flowing flowing
The water on his hands
His grandmother at classroom door,
Rushes in, pulls him from sink,
Scolds him as they exit,
The faucet still on, pounds like
A waterfall in stainless basin.
Sweet boy in class loves to wash
His hands in studio sink;
Bubbles contain rainbows.
I put my arm around
His tiny shoulders,
Say I see how comforting
The water is for him.
Flowing flowing
The water on his hands
Flowing flowing
The water on his hands
Sweet boy in class made beautiful
Painting of a lemon,
Brushed in sun hues.
He loved to wash his hands
In studio sink.
I wonder about him right now,
Able to wash his hands without rebuke.
Flowing flowing
The water on his hands
Flowing flowing
The water on my hands

Laura Stickney 2020