If life were an Etch A Sketch, my dear,
A canvas of powder, crisp and clear,
With every twist, a new fate defined,
Yet with a shake, all can be unlined.

Moments drawn, both dark and bright,
A child’s laughter, a friend’s slight,
The delicate dance of joy and pain,
Each line a story, each smudge a stain.

We sketch our dreams with hopeful hands,
Then erase the worries, the shifting sands,
But know this truth, as life does sway:
Impermanence colors our grand ballet.

So dare to draw with colors bold,
Let your heart speak, let your spirit unfold,
For in each line lies a trace of our soul—
An Etch A Sketch journey, imperfect yet whole.

© c.f. leach, 2021. Revised 2022. Copyright protected. All rights reserved.

*Etch A Sketch is a mechanical drawing toy invented by André Cassagnes of France and subsequently manufactured by the Ohio Art Company.