Oil Paint / Lee Heintzelman

Oil Paint

Lee Heintzelman

The December I was 19 years old I dyed my hair orange

Bright orange

Like bright fucking orange I

think I forgot how to be me in my body

How to wake up, step back into my bones

Creaking and aching as they are

My muscles have not welcomed my presence in years

Regaining control of your body after time away from it

Is something like painting over an already covered canvas

I was beautiful already

But now I will make something new

Now I will make my body the canvas

Paint bats on my arms and dragons on my legs

Guard dog defense mechanism

Sunset hair and metal in my nose

My body will one day be my masterpiece

I will step into my skin and know it as my own