friday feast: noshing on color

~ jama

“Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises.” ~ Pedro Calderon de la Barca

via Chapman Cultural Center

Feeling winter weary and color starved?

I think I’ve had my fill of brown, grey and white. I know too well the bare bones of the trees, how they cast long shadows across our snow-blanketed yard. I’ve had lots of time to ponder the individuality of snowflakes and marvel at the magic of icicles. But enough with the bark and rocks and dry stalks.

I want green. And pink, yellow, lavender, teal. Drench me in indigo, lime, scarlet, magenta, emerald, fuschia, and orange. Read me a sweet poem that will transport me from my cozy armchair to a place of sheer delight. Let me feast on color.

via Clara Johnson

COLOR
by Christina Rossetti

What is pink? a rose is pink
By a fountain’s brink.
What is red? a poppy’s red
In its barley bed.
What is blue? the sky is blue
Where the clouds float thro’.
What is white? a swan is white
Sailing in the light.
What is yellow? pears are yellow,
Rich and ripe and mellow.
What is green? the grass is green,
With small flowers between.
What is violet? clouds are violet
In the summer twilight.
What is orange? Why, an orange,
Just an orange!

Source: The Golden Book of Poetry (1947)

 

 

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Yum! Was that as good for you as it was for me?

Okay, back to my armchair.

via Terry Border

What’s your favorite color?

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poetryfriday180Writer, coffee connoisseur and all-around beautiful person Karen Edmisten is hosting this week’s Roundup. Take her a bouquet of color and enjoy the full menu of poetic goodies being served up in the blogosphere. Speaking of color, have you been following Laura Shovan’s Pantone Poetry Project at Author Amok? It’s been fun to read the poetic responses to so many delicious colors. 🙂

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Copyright © 2014 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.

48 thoughts on “friday feast: noshing on color”

  1. Oh yes, color! Lovely poem- I wasn’t familiar with it. As for my ONE favorite color, that’s impossible: periwinkle blue, lime green, coral red, creamy marigold yellow, aqua, rose pink, purple…

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  2. Thank you, Jama, I really needed this blast of color this morning. I have a purple hyacinth that has finally bloomed on my kitchen windowsill and it has raised my spirits considerably. I’ve got two more on the brink of blooming! Life is good.

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  3. How to pick a favorite of all these beauties! I love the creative orange/fruit dioramas-that bicycle is delightful. But I also love that one of the butterfly-cannot wait for the spring of birds and butterflies. Just bought some flowers to bring into the house, a nice reminder of what’s coming! Thanks Jama. Oh-the cake is awesome too!

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  5. Rainbow-Brite in the house, woot!

    I love color! Craved it in the cold, dreary months of winter, when I lived elsewhere. If I had to choose anyone color as my favorite, though, I’d choose French Blue. I would love someday to find that perfect shade, and to paint my front door with it, by way of welcoming the bluest skies, the warmest days, into my life every day.

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    1. Sigh, what a wonderful idea — I love picturing your French Blue door. Now I’m hoping to see some bluebirds in the back yard, remembering Thoreau’s famous quote.

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  6. Mmmmmm…. So THIS is where the rainbow ends, pouring itself out in your post! Thank you for such a visual feast, as well as a poetic one. [You are such a fantabulous writer: ” I know too well the bare bones of the trees…” – lovely.]

    I am drinking in the quality of light in my new seaside digs – something I’ve missed since growing up in Florida. Colors are just more vibrant! I think I’ll hop on that wonderful orange bicycle up there and take a juicy little spin…

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    1. Happy to hear you’re settling in nicely and enjoying what the seaside has to offer. Lucky you, surrounded by vibrant colors. Having that perfect quality of light is so important for artists, too.

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    1. I do love the colorful flowers too — something I have to mostly enjoy via pictures or other people’s gardens (we can’t grow flowers because of the deer).

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  8. We all need a banana-skin rug! I’m tempted to try to make an orange bicycle for my bicycle-obsessed sweetheart. Thanks for all the colors, both visual and poetic.

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    1. I was thinking the same thing about the banana skin rug. Talk about slipping on a peel :D. Would love to see how you do making your own orange bicycle.

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  11. I’m a red, red, red girl, all the way, but I loved your parade of color on this windy gray Colorado afternoon. Scrolled all the way down, then scrolled back up and did it all over again! Thanks so much!

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    1. Another red person! Do you like red food best too?

      If you like the orange hunter, take a look at Terry Border’s website for other fun pictures. He’s published two Bent Objects books and his children’s book is coming out this summer :).

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  13. This is perfect to brighten up anyone’s day, Jama! Colors are lovely! I share your sentiment. As much as I enjoyed looking at snow and taking a bunch of winter photos, I would like to see bright colors around me! Those lines about orange are my favorite! The photographs are all lovely, I wouldn’t know what to choose if I had to choose only one! Thank you for sharing these today! =)

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    1. Hi Fats! Glad you enjoyed all the colors. Those orange lines came as a pleasant surprise to me — it was nice to experience the poet’s playful side. 🙂

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  14. Oh Jama Jama Jama How I do love to visit your blog at the end of my day. You’ve given us such a feast for our eyes and so much joy for our souls. Thank you for the poem and the colorful palette. Have a delightful weekend.

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    1. Glad I was able to bring you a little joy and happy color, Margie. You’ve really had a tough winter where you live. Hugs to Xena — have a nice weekend!

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  15. A quenching of the thirst of my heart for color!
    Also: how much do I LOVE TERRY BORDER? He is incredibly silly. A perfect touch, thank you, thank you.

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    1. I love Terry’s work too. Excited to hear he’s publishing a children’s book — Peanut Butter and Cupcake are the main characters, I think. 🙂

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  16. Dear All-Around-Beautiful Jama,
    Thank you for the sweet words and thank you for all this color! I needed it — I, too, am tired of marveling at the beauties of winter. Weary of dreary drab, I am ready for Spring to spring. Thanks for a taste of it — a feast of it — today!

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  18. Thank you for this blast of color, Jama! I spied daffodils on my evening walk last night, so I am all about green and yellow right now. 🙂 Most day, though, I’d say purple is my favorite color. Purple makes me happy! xo

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  19. Love your color feast. I think after that grand display of color, I’m voting for primary colors all. Splashes of color are coming out here. The pink Japanese magnolia and the white pear blossoms are the first. The birds and bees are ready to feast.

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