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
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