Coloring Outside the Lines

by John Herlihy

I often find myself coloring outside the lines,

Not what the grammar school sisters taught.

Cautiously walking thru a field of land mines,

Always seeking things that no one else sought.

What are these famous lines considered a must,

Coloring inside lines projecting a form of trust.

Give me a blank slate totally free of demands,

Where I can color my world without reprimands.

Color my way thru the day to my heart’s content,

Creating a beautiful world knowing what it meant.

The lines are still there, I just let them disappear,

Confident shadows of my imagination will appear.

To take their right place of the pages of my life,

To let my destiny unfold to the tune of my fife.

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Copyright © John Herlihy

Sunday 27 July 2025