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
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?
ReplyDeleteWondering if he sent roses at all?!!
ReplyDeleteSigh.... Oh, the messages in flowers. Or lack thereof!
ReplyDeletei would send you a nice pink rose for friendship.
ReplyDeleteor a zinnia...i like zinnias.
Beautiful, Maureen. Such complexity, compressed, unfolding meaning... I am especially impressed by the craftmanship of this poem-- hope you're well..xxxj
ReplyDeleteinteresting...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.
ReplyDeleteLively alliteration, and a sense that communication is failing and gestures are not enough...loved the delicate touches of nuance in the various colors.
ReplyDeletereally love that last line Maureen.
ReplyDeleteA 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!
ReplyDeleteVery cool. I love the colors, the non-action as action, and the lines that immediately follow each rose reference are great. Thanks
ReplyDeleteWonderful distillation here, and cleverness. k.
ReplyDeleteBeing 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.
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