black and white

The day is monochrome at dawn,
the lightless night, of black and white,
shows form, huddled, sleeping and warm,
textures that are my life’s delight.
Shrouded in black, a cold girl does lay,
On crumpled sheets, she shivers, off-white,
Her eyes, once green, are flinty grey,
My eyes paint colour in the fading sight.
The final night: I kissed her here,
I washed her, loved her, held her near
Whispered all but the words I longed to hear
Then watched my lover disappear.
As colour crept in, tea steam swirled,
Now clothed, my love up and left my world.