THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY

THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY
April 12, 2016

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Apricot Illusion: 2014 Poetry Project

Welcome, Writerly Friends, to DAY 1 of Author Amok's 2014 Poetry Project. All this month, we are writing in response to Pantone® paint colors.

If you'd like to participate in the project, read the full the instructions at this post. Thanks to all you writerlies who have already sent a colorful piece of writing.

Flash fiction, poetry, snippets, couplets -- it's all welcome. While we're at it, let's add doodles and sketches too.


The color of the day is:

Apricot Illusion
Pantone® 14-1120
Apricot Illusion is in the dreaded beige family. Beige was my mother's preferred interior paint color throughout my childhood. As a (dramatic) teen, I thought beige was the ultimate in boring. As for my own room -- I talked my mom into letting me paint it something in the dark raspberry family.

My poem for Apricot Illusion is spoken in the voice of a teenager who is into Beige Bashing.

Apricot Illusion
by Laura Shovan

Mom can’t hide the truth
behind a pretty name.
She’s painting the walls
beige again.
Boring beige, vanilla,
the shade of my skin.
If I stood here undressed
I’d fade in--
dissolve in these walls,
a strange floating head,
an aimless ghost girl,
nearly dead.
Imagine our kitchen
in Daiquiri Green,
Beach Glass, Petal Pink,
Grenadine,
brave shades Mom can’t bear.
Paint her quiet and meek,
beige walls for the one
who won’t speak.
Apricot hint of sweet
I can almost smell
when I step out the door
and yell.

Tomorrow, you have three color choices for DAY 2 of the Pantone® Poetry Project:
Dark Earth
Pantone
® 19-1020
Cosmic Sky
Pantone
® 15-3909

Peyote
Pantone
® 14-1106
You'll find some suggested prompts at this post

Here's another color-related writing prompt: use one of the above colors to write a character sketch. Why do you associate the person you're describing (living or imaginary) with this color?

I apologize for posting so late today. My Saturday morning was getting up at four a.m. for a field hockey tournament in Pennsylvania.

Speaking of sports, if you're a football fan, you'll be wearing your team's colors tomorrow, SuperBowl Sunday. They are:

DENVER BRONCOS


SEATTLE SEAHAWKS


In the spirit of the day, feel free to use one of these colors as a prompt.

What? Your team's not going to the big dance? You can find a full listing of NFL teams' official colors at this website. As for me, I bleed Ravens purple.


6 comments:

Margaret Simon said...

You do that sassy teen voice well. The poem I'm working on includes cosmic sky.

Author Amok said...

Thanks, Margaret. I have two excellent models for the sassy teen voice readily available. Isn't "Cosmic Sky" lovely?

Diane Mayr said...

I love the ending! My mother always told me never to wear black. That it would make me look like "death warmed over." Would you like to guess how many black sweaters I own today?

Speaking of teen voices, did you see the clip of Meryl Streep on Ellen's show? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8TSBw5JiWE

Linda B said...

Oh how we loved to disrespect our mothers, & you've caught that tone well, so scared of "If I stood here undressed I’d fade in-- dissolve in these walls, a strange floating head, an aimless ghost girl, nearly dead." and wanting to be noticed, to be free as when she leaves. Nice, Laura! And thanks for the team colors-guess I'd better pay attention! It's THE day!

Linda B said...

Here's for Feb. 2, Laura:

Dark Earth
It’s a comfort to think about the seeds
pushed into dark earth, expectations known.
They will become what’s theirs alone.

Yet, I wonder while I plant,
like humans given the gift of choice,
would violets prefer a rose’s voice?
Linda Baie ©All Rights Reserved

Diane Mayr said...

Cosmic Sky is too pretty a color to let go by, so here's my take on it.

Q: And the Chances Are?


This sky, some are quick to say,
is a gorgeous shade of blue,
others will insist it's violet.

We each prefer our different hues.

Let's establish a name
for the color of the firmament,
and while we're at it, we'll decree

peace for humanity, too.


A: Slim and None.

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved