The Invitation of Pastel, by David M. Katz

Raton, by Meredith Britt (USA) contemporary. Click image for artist site.

The Invitation of Pastel

Pale and light in colour. Even a shadow
Of the filling station's mauve
In front of the pump. You could say
The place is relieved of primary colour,
Unburdened under the sun. It is
Either the end of things or a step
Into a new world. The great Southwest,
A little dog beside a forties car. A pool
Of light on the turf in little Raton.
Here there is a quiet choice:
Saturate the scene, pour yourself
Into the picture, colour it over
With your fascinating darkness.
Or listen to the restraint 
Of the vast terrain, make yourself
As small and absent as you can,
Give the light its head, its choice
Of breath or breathlessness.
Accept the invitation of pastel.

David M. Katz the author of five books of poetry--The Biographer, In Praise of Manhattan, Stanzas on Oz, and Claims of Home, all published by Dos Madres Press, and The Warrior in the Forest (House of Keys). Poems of his have appeared in Able Muse, Poetry, The Paris Review, The Hudson Review, and elsewhere. He is a co-host of the Morningside Poetry Series in Manhattan and posts frequently on his website, The David M. Katz Poetry Blog. He recently starred in Gully's Paradise, a feature-length film by Shalom Gorewitz.