The human eye is capable of distinguishing between over one million colors. We might not know each shade’s name, but we can’t deny each one evokes a certain emotion. In fact, many poets have written poems centered around specific colors because they resonated with them deeply.
Let’s look at what makes color poems special.
Color poems hold a special place in the poetry world because they appreciate the beauty and splendor of shades that are around us. A seemingly ordinary color can become much more exciting when it is associated with other objects of the same color.
One example of a poet using such comparisons well is seen in Margaret E. Sangster’s poem, Colors:
I love color.
I love flaming reds,
And vivid greens,
And royal flaunting purples.
I love the startled rose of the sun at dawning,
And the blazing orange of it at twilight
The above poem is incredibly earnest in its love for different shades of the color spectrum. It paints a rich picture about the significance colors hold in the things around us.
Whether that is purple’s association with royalty, orange’s association with vivid skies at twilight, or the rose-colored beams the rising sun casts across the sky. Each shade makes our view of life a little more colorful.
Color poems offer a great way for poets to soak in the colors of their surroundings and express their love for them through rich wordplay. Such poems transport readers to another setting and help them appreciate the world around them.
Color poems are timeless so consider spending more time looking for colors that speak to you and penning poems about them. Read more color poetry here.