My Masterpiece

The brush breathed a life of its own

Etching lines that wove around the page until

They adjoined into shapes, an image

My masterpiece

Hugging it tight I took it to

The hallowed halls in which resided

Paintings that had cheated time, pure beauties

And I held mine up next to one

The color faded off the page and

Lines shattered into unintelligible scribbles

As the painting on the wall shone a destructive light

Reducing mine to nothing

In my hands lay the ashes of

Something my fingers had built from my mind

And my cheeks had smiled at softly, short-lived pride

Hard work crumbled at its edges

“Nice picture,” said a voice

With a thanks prying at my lips I turned

To see a passing figure who smiled as I had and

Something in my hands exploded

Vivid tapestries of strokes

Brilliant splashes of color dancing joyously 

Inviting shapes into reunion and soon with a flash,

My masterpiece lived again