Bleu
Cobalt
As the tiny rivers
Winding beneath
Papery thin skin
I watch as they have slowed
But remember their faster pace
Cerulean
As the plastic cannula
From oxygen tank
To your nasal orifice
Easing each breath
Your hands reach for me
Offering each cheek to be kissed
Royal
As the dancer
In the flames
As you welded and forged
Iron and steel into magnificent forms
Gates, railings but also art
A band of musicians
Prominent upon your mantel
My own, croix de Cathar
A gift like your friendship
Armand
Bleu shall forever
Be the colour of you
Increasingly fragile
As you reach out for Auguste
The great-grandson who shares
Your sparkle from cobalt eyes
–
Bisous,
Léa
poetry, photos and musings oh my! 
I specially love this part:
A gift like your friendship
Armand
Bleu shall forever
Be the colour of you
A wonderful portrait and tribute to your family!
Armand’s late wife was my first friend in the village. Thank you so very much. Indeed, they are like family to me.
This is lovely and poignant. Thanks for sharing it.
Well thank you so very much Sue! One of the blogs gave a challenge to write about blue, any shade of blue and this is where the mind went… Léa
a friendship forged in such beautiful lines:- so marvellous, so sad
“Royal
As the dancer
In the flames”
Laura, such a dear man, a lovely family. His late wife was my first friend in the village. My first day here, I took some packaging out to the dumpster. She walked up behind me, took my arm and guided me around our village. I miss her smile, her laugh, gentle touch, kindness and once again those sparkling eyes. I wish she had been able to see her great-grandson. She would have been over the moon!
Jeanne (Jeanette) shared with me that she too had lost a daughter in a most horrible accident. Having lost a daughter myself, we really bonded. Léa
thank you for filling me in on such awesome loss and bonding
Thank you Laura.
Oh, Lea. What a lovely tribute. This spills beautifully. I love the way you’ve evoked emotion and imagery through the use of each shade of blue.
Thank you so much. You are right, it just spilled out from my heart as he has his place carved indelibly as did his late wife and his granddaughter (mother of Auguste).
What a lovely tribute to someone special to you.
Thank you Linda. His late wife was my first friend in the village when I came.
He looks like a gentle soul Lea and I love your tribute to him.
He is a sweetheart as was his late wife. She was my first friend in the village. Thanks Kath!
Oh my–so very poignant and touching. I was a hospice nurse and your word-painting is so well represented.
Thank you Victoria. I appreciate your kind words. Léa
That’s a beautiful tribute. He would be quite pleased to receive such a compliment in verse. You have done well!
Ah, perhaps. Translating poetry is a bit tricky…
A lovely tribute to friends that are like family.
Thank you so very much!
So many shades of blue / bleu in your poem, and I agree, strange how we both managed to find colour in our poems on the same day 😀
I hadn’t planned to even write anymore poetry when I stumbled onto a d’verse challenge and it was blue. Immediately, it just all spilled out thinking of Armand when I saw him a few days ago… As they say, the rest is history. 🙂
What a beautiful tribute! So glad you posted at dVerse so I could see.
Lillian, I’m so glad you stopped by to let me know. That is the first time I’ve posted on d’Verse. Thank you! Léa
That first stanza is just perfect! It grabbed me instantly. Captivating imagery throughout, with such feeling in those last three lines. Sensational writing Lea xx
Becka, one again you are too kind. This neighbour (Armand) and his family are dear to me. His late wife was my first friend in the village. The day I moved in she grabbed my arm and gave me a tour of the village. ..
A very touching poem.
Thank you. I’m very fortunate to have this family as neighbours. I’ve thought of adding Bleu to my next collection of poetry.