• I shuffle through canvases, looking for the right size.

    Through tall and short, rectangle or square, til one catches my eyes.

    I pull it out, place it on my easel, then turn to my paint.

    I pick out my black and white, search for a brush that makes lines faint.

    I pick ou a thicker brush that will allow to quickly paint the whole square.

    I lean back on my stool and at this blank canvas I begin to stare.

    Different ideas, different images, flood my mind.

    All great things to paint, but I put them behind.

    I settle on one in particular that stood out the most to me.

    As I dip the brush in paint, place it on the canvas, and begin the image-to-be.

    I paint an outline, a nose, eyes, ears, your face.

    I paint your lips and the smile you had, showing off grace.

    You had gotten a lip ring at the time, always wore checkered skinny jeans.

    Sporting oversized hoodies, out of place but unique, you'd know what I mean.

    You rarely were seen without your skateboard and long hair.

    When you cut it my sophmore year, I was surprised though it still looked fair.

    I had a crush on you, since I was seven, I recall.

    I remember whenever I saw you, I could barely think at all.

    I remember for a halloween party we were dared to hold hands and sit side by side.

    Also I was dared to kiss you, but I was too shy, even now I know I wanted to hide.

    I wish things were different now, I miss seeing you everyday.

    Even though you were quiet and didn't have much to say.

    In economics class, junior year, you were always a few steps behind me walking into class.

    It was that year I finally heard your laugh, on the day you passed.

    I hugged you the day before, I felt like I needed to.

    Every year til my junior year, everyday I would hug you.

    But that year I didn't give out many hugs, yet that day I felt the need.

    It turned out the worst imaginable would come true indeed.

    The next day, we shared a laugh in class, everything was the same.

    You stopped riding the bus I still rode, which I once thought was lame.

    You left school with four of your friends, whom I grew up with and known.

    It was unexpected, an accident, the future should have shown.

    How simply drugs caused an accident on the highway.

    You, along with two of our friends, lost their lives that day.

    At your funeral, I couldn't bring myself to cry.

    All I could have thought was if you hadn't been smoking, you wouldn't have died.

    I know that smoking leads to puffing, which is why I will never do it.

    I wonder in heaven if you knew my life took a hit.

    This accident caused friendships to end, but for a moment our classmates became one.

    Before I know it, since I was lost in my thoughts, the painting is done.

    I may have lost you but I will always have our shared memories, the thoughts of "what could".

    I can ensure myself, I will never forget you, Bradley Wood.





    In loving memory to a dear friend, Bradley Wood, lost in a fatal car accident on November 29th, 2011, which took the lives of Levi Berg and Kelsey Clifford. They'll forever be in my heart.