Lady in Lavender

The day's faded beauty lingers in the sky
Bold hues of purple and orange, inked across
tall puffy clouds rising into the air,
catching final sunbeams at their tippy tops.

This cycle repeats day in and day out
Sunrise and sunset melting like watercolors,
An artist's touch from a magical castle in the sky
Waking up and falling asleep set to the tones of a living painting
Different each time, yet always the same.

Young Melanie never knows what to expect
In her tattered life there's little to trust
Perhaps the only steady thing she has
is the rise and fall of day and night.

She climbs a hillside each afternoon to be alone
And soaks up the sights of the sky's color show
Shades of violet and peach, yellow, pure white and shell pink
Melting and shifting from sunlight to shadow.
This solitary solace means so much to her.

Sunrise is the same; she throws open her curtains
Sits up and spends the glorious moments in prayer
As fresh sunlight washes the hillsides in lavender and gold
Every leaf sparkling with crystal drops of dew
Beauty unfolds even as her day's struggle begins,
And gratitude for whatever comes her way
Is Melanie's natural response to the charmed artistry.

One morning, she arose before dawn as always
Opened the curtains and awaited the colors
But there were none.

Light filtered from black to white and blue sky
No lavender, peach or shell pink to be found.
Sunrise as stark and bleak as the switch of a spotlight
Where is the beauty in that?

Melanie's heavy heart faltered as she did her chores
Hours later she waited breathlessly on the hilltop
for signs of color in the sunset horizon.

Nothing at all: the sun's disk slid down
And disappeared like a coin in a piggy bank,
With light fading blankly from blue into black
Where is the beauty in that?

Running fast down the hill, she met a magical cat
With silky fur of the softest lilac shades
And eyes which glowed amethyst looking at her.

"Dear magical cat, can you please tell me what has become
Of the glorious colors of sunrise and sunset?"

"My lady, Princess Violetta, is fallen sick and can no longer
Paint the skies in watercolor every morning and night.
Healing can be found in lavender fields,
Softly scented herbs rooted in red clay soil."

"I know where they grow! Come with me, dear Kitty,"
And away Melanie ran, with Kitty at her heels
To rolling fields of flourishing lavender
Growing in dusty striped rows along Tuscan hills.

The sweet herbal scent rose up as she gathered them
Filling her with calm and soothing thoughts.
A basket full of the fuzzy gray stems would suffice.

Kitty led her across woods and streams
Down a cobbled path to a castle on a hill.

A lady rested in a bedroom of many hues
All different shades of purple: grape, violet, plum,
Lilac, lavender and clematis, amethyst and iolite.
Her eyes of deepest evening twilight
Met Melanie's concern with a smile.

"I am Violetta, Painter of Sunrise and Sunset.
My favorite color surrounds me, as you can tell.
I assure you the essence of Lavandula Angustifolia
Which you so kindly brought to me
Is enough to cure my illness so I can once more
Color the beginning and end of each day
Giving you the best of what you look forward to."

Melanie prepared a lavender tea and sat down with Kitty.
They spoke through the night about life and the arts
And as the clock ticked towards dawn,
Violetta arose, her tanzanite gown sweeping the floor,
Approached her bay window facing east,
Waving her arms with the grace of a conductor.

Each color came slowly, melding and rising
Lilac, pale peach, baby blue, with periwinkle lining cloud edges
Orchid puffs slipped across the horizon
To be gently replaced by clear yellow and pale rose
Melting away into the golden light of morning
Which sent beams into Violetta's lavender bedroom
Lighting it up like a glowing crystalline geode.

"It's time you went home, dear Melanie—take care
Rest assured your sunset shall be a glory to behold
Thanks to your love and concern, beauty shall once more
Measure the days in colors warm and cool
Lending optimism and hope to all who pause to appreciate it."

And so sunrise and sunset were saved by a girl and a kitten
And a Lady in Lavender watches over them both as she paints
Morning and evening in colors so true.