Hues

By: Jasmine Chen

Clashing cymbals and clashing notes

The bow sinking into the string

Calluses and indents carved into soft skin

Fire burning in your soul, rising, reeling, reaching—

red.

Swinging eighth notes and sax solos

Brassy tones in a barely-there room

Or the setting sun and wheels against pavement

Windows rolled all the way down—

orange.

A pick and a strum

The daffodil reaching for the light

Golden rays of the afternoon sun

Warmth rushing over skin and bones—

yellow.

Crisp notes on the upright piano

The dawn chorus of the songbird

Climbing trees and rolling down grass hills

Rediscovery of youth, of childhood—

green.

Electric chords through electric hearts

The cold body of an instrument

Cased in velvet and dreams

Neverending days into neverending nights—

blue.

Bass thrumming through the euphoric crowd

Worlds shifting to match its beat

An escape to the cosmos

Neon lights, neon bodies, and neon words—

violet.