Figments of Pigment

A dusty, old painting hangs on the wall
         faded, but not forgotten
The individual brush strokes are left unseen,
         only the final image remains
Each color is a memory, evoking the original emotion
the loving warmth of rich reds and umbers
the hauntingly depressive blacks and deep violets
and though the bright white areas have paled,
         the hues still remain
After all, the painting never loses its meaning
Colors may fade, but the picture is permanent