Unexplored Continents

Colours on my fingernails

Juniper blue and Christmas red

Painted by you, as the fire mutters and cracks

And the Winter sky holds the promise of snow

The lights on the tree blossom

As the room grows dark around us

My fingers spread, my hands still

The varnish glistens

Settles and holds me

I am transformed and wonder

At these tiny, fingertip maps of different worlds

Flame and fairy lights reflected in my nails

Here on this December night

Days later

At home

The paint is chipped

And scuffed and worn

The smooth cartography of your work fragmented

To reveal rough shapes

Unexplored continents

Diminishing fragments that I pick slowly apart

Soon the crimson fire and indigo night skies are gone

Leaving the clear, empty canvas

Of my unvarnished nails

Of this new year