Indigo Blu - Doug von Koss

[Larry Robinson]

Indigo Blue	 

Must it always be this way
  The heart blood red, always red
  hot and thick and steamy

I know the heart’s on fire today
  passion, courage, fierce rhythm and heat
  but tell me, can’t the heart just once
  find another color

Green maybe
  as winter moss just after the rain
  or the green of chamomile just before 
   it blossoms   	

The green of jasmine leaves 
   flowing through the eyes
   then through my heart 

Or maybe the heart can be butter yellow
   the yellow of a whole pound of it
   at a Sunday breakfast with friends

And why not a heart sun yellow
  as beautiful and full of hope as 
  the first marigold in spring

It’s primary, this thought
   a green heart, a yellow heart, and yes
   a heart vermillion red

But they won’t do for me today
   Today is more complex
   I need a blue I cannot name
   a blue from another place

No, don’t give me your sky blue 
   of a western afternoon
   full of soft birds and wind
  
Forget your flowers of violet and periwinkle
   If I can’t do red today
   I’m farther still from soft blue petals

My heart today is that other blue
   darker than blueberries 
   crushed underfoot
  
Darker than grapes
   abandoned on the vine

This is a blue past midnight
   almost past caring
   try indigo blue heading to black

Today my heart filled with
   sorrow, pain and helplessness
   hidden from light and growing dark
   is indigo blue heading to black
   a blue so dark, even God can’t see it clearly   

My country is being torn apart 
    And I am unable to stop the madness

Yes, my heart is indigo blue
   today 

	- Doug von Koss