Cornflower Blue

When she opened the box we were her favorites-
Cornflower Blue and Indian Red.
Together we made summer skies and meadows,
Blue baby doll eyes, teddy bears, and hay-filled barns.
Other colors came along and she tried them-
Macaroni and Cheese, Tumbleweed, Tickle Me Pink-
But we were the ones she carried in her pocket
After carefully honing our points with the sharpener in the back of the box.
In ’99 old Indian Red was replaced with Chestnut.
Thistle and Maize went away; their colors and names were too dull.
I’ve hung around as long as I could
Although she peeled off the last of my label several years ago.
Today I got rolled off the table and stepped on.
My pieces were ground into the classroom rug.
Through the window I can see a patch of the sky
She used to think I was the color of.

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