Sadness is the colour blue

Sadness is the colour blue. That shade of midnight. When the Sun has gone as deep as it can go and
the faintest stars blaze like the strongest suns.

Happiness is Yellow. Bright buttercup yellow.
Like the swimming costume I wore when I was five playing in our paddling pool keeping cool in the heatwave of ’76.

Passion is red. The first flush of blood to the cheeks when you see them, you know, “them”. The one that captures your breath, tenses your muscles and takes residence in your thoughts.

Despair is steely gray. A blue-gray of gathering of clouds before a storm, carving precise outlines of the bright buildings beneath, bringing light to London’s belfries and tower blocks.

Love? Love is a rainbow of colours of course. All of the ones we know and those we don’t. Every emotion contained in its elegant curves, as it lights up the sky.

And green, today my colour is green. The colour of hope and connection. The lush green of the trees in Hyde Park and at my window, as they fling wide their leaves to catch every ray of sun.

My paintbox is full this year. The canvas painted with a wide brush and sweeping strokes, deep with colour.

The picture formed, my masterpiece.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, my pieces both prose and poems have come into being through sharing thoughts and ideas and allowing others work and musings about the world to inspire me. I call this the flame of inspiration which I believe is the essence of all creative expression. A sacred fire that we pass on to each other to allow our souls to speak.

This particular piece was inspired by conversations with my dear friend Sally who set me on my journey of finding and allowing every emotion in; giving the same space and attention to each one rather judging them as better or worse, or positive or negative.

As Rumi says in his poem The Guesthouse

“Welcome and entertain them all! /Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows/ who violently sweep your house/ empty of its furniture”