By Ellen Gwin

The key to writing about color without saying the color is to stimulate the five senses of your reader: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste — and the sixth sense: emotions.

While you don’t need to incorporate all five senses into your poem, it’s still a good idea to think about them when brainstorming.

Think about:

Sight: The images that come with the color you’ve chosen:

• Yellow:
  • Ducks, sun, lemons, honey
• Blue
  • Ocean, sky, eyes, veins
• Pink
  • Brain, flowers, sunset, cheeks
• Green
  • Leaves, emeralds, frogs, pears
• Red
  • Roses, strawberries, lips, racecars
• Orange
  • Sunset, pumpkins, salmon, marigolds

Taste & Smell: The objects you imagine tasting & smelling with each color

• Yellow
  • Lemons, saffron, passion fruit
• Blue
  • Blueberry pie, blue cheese, bluraspberry lollipop
• Pink
  • Starburst, watermelon, bubblegum
• Green
  • Brussel sprouts, peppermint ice cream, honeydew melon
• Red
  • Cherry, spaghetti, blood orange
• Orange
  • Tangerine, kumquat, papaya

Touch: What do you imagine feeling or touching with each color?

• Yellow
  • Warm skin, hot seatbelts, sticky honey
• Blue
  • Salty water, clear breaths, cold showers
• Pink
  • Dainty lips, burning cheeks, dense gum
• Green
  • Slime, luscious grass, wet leaves
• Red
  • Hot blood, smooth fruits, soft flowers
• Orange
  • Burning hot, red hair, fuzzy peaches

Sound: What sounds remind you of the color?

• Yellow
  • Clapping crowds, giggles, charades
• Blue
  • Splashing waves, crying tears, rain drops
• Pink
  • Sloppy kisses, long goodbyes, smacking gum
• Green
  • Wind in the trees, birds chirping, lovers screams
• Red
  • Loud voices, moaning into the night, yelps of pain
• Orange
  • Laughter, crunchy foods, running feet

BONUS: Emotions that remind you of the color

• Yellow:
  • Energetic, sunny, joyous
• Blue
  • Deep, sad, tranquil
• Pink
  • Blushing, inspiring, warm
• Green
  • Vivacious, envious, ambitious
• Red
  • Passionate, angry, powerful
• Orange
  • Creative, zealous, fiery

I hope this finds everyone well and happy writing! –Elle Vue