Grey
has been my colour for aeons
Although –
every now and again
a tiny splash of crimson
splatters its welcome
on my rhino-hued hide.
I have hidden behind
a skin, thickened, calloused
made tough with scars.
I have let life abrade my spirit.
What an error.
This isn’t what living is about –
existing, dragging my carcass
from one day, one hour, one minute
to the next.
I open my hazel eyes –
Crimson is joined by purple
transitioning to royal blue and
macaw green.
Peacock shades flutter, flicker and shimmer
The grey dust dissipates and
my rainbow-heart blossoms.
Colour me joyful
Let the bright one in!
Erupt
*****
Freya Writes... 
Great that you are gradually shedding the gray elements in your lives and have begun to adopt warmer colors that highlight the brighter you. I like how your poem can be read both literally and metaphorically.
Well, that’s partly the reason why I put a little back story underneath. I do like to explain (if it’s not obvious), where my head is at, and also, if what I have written is utter fantasy or not! Thank you/
smiles…first, i rather love rhinos….i have a few around the house…and a few books on them as well…but i like how you used them…creating that armored hide…to hide behind…life is def tough on us at times…it is good though that you have opened your eyes and are inviting the colors of joy in…smiles…loving yourself is important, and allows you to then love others…
I assume that’s not real rhinos, Brain 🙂
Thank you for your thoughts and encouragement, as always. Armour is all well and good and sometimes needed, but not all the time, no. We need to let life in, find that chink!
Hi Freya. It is interesting how sometimes a particular color resonates with a person, isn’t it? For you it is gray. For me it really is blue, though in recent times I have tried to embrace other colors as well.. Sometimes we must go outside our comfort zone. It seems like that is just what you have done;and for that, I commend you.
Thank you, Mary. I can now see that even before my dad died last summer, I had a wall in place in certain respects (the grey part, the rhino-hide). After adding further layers of bricks to it, I am now in demolition stage. Nothing can hurt more than losing a loved one, so what is there left to lose (and I don’t mean that in a bleak way)?
I love the peacock shades and rainbow heart blossoms ~ Let the colors overpower the grey, color me joyful & happ ~ And on another note our new bartender is a He, smiles ~
Thank you, and thank you. I have amended the accidental gender reassignment… (oops!).
Life can paint us grey…glad for the hope at the end of your poem…hearing your voice speak the words conveys the pathos and determination.
Thank you. My regional accent came out a bit more than I intended… I must have been tired! 🙂
I like that you take a different view to the theme here – but use of colors are stunning. Smiles.
One small request. Gender confusion about me there – if you can correct it please. I thought you would have seen my inclusion in the D’team.
So sorry…. I have made the change right away. I forgot to visit the d’Team update on the blog at the time, otherwise I would have known, and remembered.
No problem – thanks a lot for the mention.
No problem at all!
Self-love trumps self-loathing for sure, like Paul & John suggest, “the love you get is equal to the love you give.”–and hey we need to start at home, on our own bones, with the reflection in the mirror. As a gemini, my natural aura is brownish-green, earth colors, but I have always been partial to the magma hues, lava, blood, rubies, sunflowers, citrus hues. Good on you for doing the introspection, the overdue overhaul; love the poem, hope it is prophetic.
I think I’m an earth sign too (Virgo)? Thank you – yes, overdue overhaul indeed! I plan for more colour in my life, definitely!
How wonderful that you are finding colour in your life again. I love the idea of a rainbow coloured heart.
Thank you. Yes, I love the rainbow heart too 🙂
This is excellent Freya, great that you are finding colour in your life now. Nothing wrong with grey but a splash or two of colour brings us to life I think.
Thank you so much, Michael.
This is how I feel after a long, hard winter. Love the imagery you used to illustrate the transition, beautiful.
Yes, winter doesn’t help, does it? Thank you.
Glad that colour is seeping back into your life. Take care of yourself!
So am I! I will… 🙂
Nicely done–stay open to the color of life! Thanks for a hopeful poem this week.
Thank you, Nico.
love how you brought crimson through the entire piece… the gray, and rhino-hued hide as well… really cool
Thank you, Anthony.
the human spirit is vibrant indeed
I hope it remains so!
perhaps feisty overcomes all obstacles 🙂
I think it helps 😉
nice… i like the blossoming rainbow-heart… it’s good when after a time of grey the colors come back into life…
Thank you, Claudia. Indeed it is…
To get out of the rhino hide.. Embracing color – yes you are right – there are those days when we should color ourselves… And to me I’ve always seen the color in your words.
Thank you so much, Bjorn. Yes, I’m not so comfortable in grey rhino hide.
Wonderful celebration of your breakaway from a gray period and the joys of new-found colors. Enjoyed your reading–gave additional insight into your written words.
Thank you 🙂
I quite agree about grey. It’s never flat or boring, comes in a infinite number of temperatures and shades. Very good choice, very good poem, Freya.
Thank you, Misky.
Nice transition from trudging through drudgery to opening yourself to joy. Inspiring 🙂
Thank you, Nara 🙂
I shall color you joyful & try painting myself & others the same…
I highly recommend it!