n0t a waste 0f space.

people are messy

are we the paintbrushes of the world's canvas?

or the paint that colors the lines?

I can never seem to fill the space

because I can't make it rhyme.

and are we supposed to be forgiving

to those who've hurt our hearts?

do paintbrushes love the paint

that dries their bristles apart?

and people are messy

and full of scars

which I know are supposed to be beautiful,

and I know our flaws are supposed to create a masterpiece,

but mostly they just hurt.

and they just make us more messy,

like dried up paintbrushes that are unforgivingly stiff

and useless for making art.

but people are messy

and it's not always beautiful.

sometimes mistakes mean the masterpiece needs to be redone,

and sometimes our messiness doesn't turn us into art,

just scars and tears and broken hearts. 

and we're all paintbrushes with dried up paint

and sometimes we can't be fixed.

because people are messy

but also forgetful,

and they leave their bristles in the acrylic.

even after they've been stiffened before

and had to be made anew.

but people will always be messy

and always be paintbrushes

and always make art,

just not always masterpieces.

sometimes people are messy

and their masterpiece

is the painting of a third grader,

rather than one of Monet's.

but just remember when you've been hurt,

and you're bristles out of line,

that people are messy, just like you,

and leave the brushes out to dry.

-s.g.