Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Color Theory (Poem)

Color Theory

You did not send white
roses; what innocence

protested you sore denied.
You did not send peach

roses, hope for the future
flagged. And no, you did

not send red roses. No
emblem of the heart you stole

with words could fix what
passion spent in petals picked.

© 2012 Maureen E. Doallas

13 comments:

Hannah Stephenson said...

This is a fun one, Maureen. I love the language of flowers...it reads like a riddle! The "you" must have sent some kind of roses....but what kind? Maybe yellow?

S. Etole said...

Wondering if he sent roses at all?!!

Kathleen said...

Sigh.... Oh, the messages in flowers. Or lack thereof!

Anonymous said...

i would send you a nice pink rose for friendship.
or a zinnia...i like zinnias.

Jenne' R. Andrews said...

Beautiful, Maureen. Such complexity, compressed, unfolding meaning... I am especially impressed by the craftmanship of this poem-- hope you're well..xxxj

Brian Miller said...

interesting...the meanign behind flowers...i bought my wife a bouquet of various color roses for our anniversary last week...i thought they were pretty...smiles.

hedgewitch said...

Lively alliteration, and a sense that communication is failing and gestures are not enough...loved the delicate touches of nuance in the various colors.

Laura said...

really love that last line Maureen.

Beachanny said...

A coded Victorian poem, subtle in its colors but clear in its meaning. A tussie-mussie to me with a return "nose-gay" from me. Loved it!

Unknown said...

Very cool. I love the colors, the non-action as action, and the lines that immediately follow each rose reference are great. Thanks

Joan Barrett Roberts said...

Maureen, ok, now you got me hooked with color and riddle? The language of flowers innocence, hope for future and love lost -- words can not rescue him here!

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful distillation here, and cleverness. k.

Munsell Color said...

Being a longtime lover of Color Theory, it never gets less exciting to experience the point of view of various artists. You have opened up another avenue of expression with this poem, using the emotional meanings behind the color in your words.