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Morinda is the color of torch ginger,
whose flower buds are edible,
but whose seed pods protect themselves
with mercuric sulfide, a precious pigment.
Jacinth is the color of the peacock plant,
each flower blooming in a bowl the shade of sunrise.
Pick the flower, set it in the sun for a day,
and pour out the paint at twilight.
Meline is the color of the honeypot plant,
whose tiny flowers form at the rim
of a big pitcher full of nectar: drink it fresh,
boil it down to syrup, or better yet -- ferment it.
Tilleul is the color of Empress' tears,
long chains of pearl-shaped buds hanging down,
their golden-green edged with pink,
far more delicious than any peas could be.
Watchet is the color of the eyeflower,
innocent as a newborn gaze.
Its juice fights infection, but leaves a stain
indelibly sunk into skin or iris.
Solferino is the color of the dusk orchid,
vivid throat fringed with silver teeth.
It yields a perfume more intoxicating than wine,
balanced on the border between joy and madness. Author's NotesThis poem came from the April 16, 2011 Muse Fusion. It was inspired by a prompt from LJ user Vaerys. This was the freebie for that session, originally published in The Wordsmith's Forge. |
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