She grabs the old brush
From a stranger's limp hand.
A painting hangs
On the white wall.
Drying blue paint streaked
Across a wide variety of colors.
She thinks of the glory
That could come with this
Beautiful masterpiece.
A masterpiece with dead insects
Trapped in the dry paint.

Picking an electric red paint.
She slowly dips the brush
Into the creamy paint.
Going crazy
With splashes
Drips
Dots
Streaks.
Ready to change the hue.
An insect flies around her head.
She turns around to see
The stranger is gone.
Glory slips from her thoughts.
She falls back.
Her eyes close one last time.

Fresh red paint dripping
From her cold fingers.
No glory in her face.
A brush falls from her still
Hand, hitting with a thud
On the broken tile.
Insects sticking onto
Her unfinished painting.

A masterpiece left untouched
Only until the next artist
Decides to pick up the brush
And add to the circle of art.