An artist, using nature’s palette,
her medium was oil paints
in brilliant, vivid smudges 

I used to sit and watch her paint--
creating beauty with her brushes,
mixing colors on her palette--
scraping, blending, then applying
brush-stroked colors to the sky,
cascading love of waterfalls
and stately snow-capped mountains

Her oil paints in vivid smudges
-snapshot of her earthly talent-
hang with grandeur on my wall
extracting memories from my heart
and moisture from my eyes

I think, now, that what I witnessed
was a tyro for another realm:
Apprentice to a grander kingdom,
her canvas now of heavenly realm,
her palette filled with angel’s tones

When I glance at heaven’s skyline
and see the beauty painted there
-the brilliant brush strokes full of color
splashed across the wide expanse-
I think that maybe mama’s painting,
painting pictures in the sky.

Her medium is not long lasting
for now she paints with water colors--
extracting moisture from the clouds,
she brushstrokes love across the sky
creating beauty for the eye

When I see the skies in splendor,
swept with glorious unnamed hues,
I know that mama is still painting
majestic artwork in the sky…
creating beauty with her brushes

but more importantly…
trying to convey the message
She’s watching over me.