Dreamer

An open 64-pack of Crayola crayons. ‘Crayons— Different Brilliant Colors. Built-in Sharpener’ is written on the front. An arrow next to ‘Sharpener’ points to the side of the box.

According to the rainbow poster

on the door of our art room,

all children are artists.

The trick is in the not forgetting

as we grow up.

I solemnly swear

I will never forget.

I am an artist.

A rectangular eraser with ‘Pink Pearl’ written in cursive on top. Two sharpened pencils are below the eraser. One is a solid dark color with no eraser. The other is a standard No. 2 pencil with an eraser.

Love to daydream for long

cat stretches of time.

My teachers all hate this, want me to click

back to their boring station.

Except the art teacher

who praises what comes out:

a pouting papier-mâché mask

a picture garden of watercolors

a purring charcoal drawing.

The school hallways, a gallery

promoting my efforts, proof I’m here

if not always present,

as I curl into my warm imagination.

A unicorn with a short mane. Its back legs are lifted higher than its front legs and its head is turned to the right. Its swirled tail sticks straight up.

I am watching

patiently because

I was made

for something special.

I don’t know when or

from where or even

what it is

but I will recognize it

when it comes.