Lovely Enough

After I put the paint away and finish cleaning my brushes, I see the spots I missed. They emerge like tiny arid ponds on the unblemished wall. A white dot here, a thin white line there, giving lie to the imagined perfection of my new orange wall, my burnt orange, sorrel, chestnut wall.

I know if I look closely there will be so much that is wrong. Unevenness, shadows not caused by the light, brush strokes. It is better not to know, wiser to just move on, move furniture back in place, hang the pictures. Store the paint for next time.