for Marz Cummings (1966-1999)

(Marz painting a mural for the City Council, Courtenay Place, Wellington (NZ), early in 1999.)

"A PURPLE TATTOO."

Long after you have gone it just has to be said;
I will continue to frame your smile
In a private exhibition inside my head.

Marz, it is a cliché I know,
But you really were a “work of art”:
I will hold you & frame you
And hang you in my heart.

And you have designed a purple tattoo just for me;
I will wear it proudly in a place no one else will ever see.

For you, I will continue to follow my heart
- I won’t be afraid to wear it upon my sleeve;
And when it comes time for you to part
Give me the strength to let you leave.

Often in these fragile times my friend
Our lives, they can imitate art;
& some things can unfairly end
Before they get a chance to start.

And this morning in the air
You painted a purple sunrise for everyone to see;
I will hide it in a place
That no one can ever take away from me.

I will paint to survive - I will paint to stay alive!!
And in these times that I grieve
My art will become the air that I breathe.

I will trade in all my superstitions
For a healthy dose of intuition.
I will miss you, hell! But I wish you well.

And you have designed a purple tattoo just for me;
I will wear it proudly in a place no one else will ever see.

I know I must let you go now
But I’ll never forget that grin you wore on your face,
During that really important lesson you gave me:
To always bring another bottle of red, just in case.

Yeah, long after you have gone,
again it just has to be said;
I will continue to frame your smile
In a private exhibition inside my head.

And you have designed a purple tattoo just for me;
I will wear it proudly in a place no one else will ever see.

- For Maru 'Marz' Cummings, in loving memory.

"The mind intoxicate with present objects, and the busy dance of things that pass away." (Wordsworth)

(c) Brent M Harpur, 1999 / 2011.