Red
waves of
sorrow wash through
me, a nerve-searing tsunami of loss.
Tart, sweet, your twinkling eyes with deep laugh lines
pull me in. I
dream or-
ange.
Yel-
low slides
under leaves, in
wait for industrious, distracted mice.
After long months of masked fear, the time comes
to put it down.
New green
sprouts.
Blue
changes
about, tiptoes
in my peripheral vision at first.
Long wavy tresses caress her shoulders.
Her lashes dip.
She is
indigo.
Vi-
olet
expectations
harvest many funny reminisces.
Tetractys, a poetic form invented by Ray Stebbing, consists of at least 5 lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 10 syllables (total of 20). I’ve chosen to write a series of them for the ROYGBIV (mnemonic for red, orange, yellow, blue, indigo, and violet,) trying to compose as I imagine how a synesthete might perceive.
“Euclid, the mathematician of classical times, considered the number series 1, 2, 3, 4 to have mystical significance because its sum is 10, so he dignified it with a name of its own – Tetractys. The tetractys could be Britain’s answer to the haiku. Its challenge is to express a complete thought, profound or comic, witty or wise, within the narrow compass of twenty syllables.” – Ray Stebbing
Grace is today’s host of dVerse’ Meeting the Bar. Grace says:
The writing challenge: Today we will write about color from the perspective of a synesthete. Pick one color or several colors. Create your own Dictionary of Color. All sounds have color. The alphabet has color. Days of the week have color. Each day has a color and a certain shape.
Image is a painting by Leonid Afremov
My sons have introduced me to worlds of new music. Boards of Canada are a Scottish electronic music duo consisting of brothers Michael Sandison and Marcus Eoin. My musical selection today is from their first album, “Music Has the Right to Children” (1998.) I thought of this song when I read Grace’s prompt, and it was the song that led to the title, and then the poetry.
Tao Talk 
I love the word breaks in the colors – orange, yellow, violets, in this format. I also like the change of mood from sorrow to funny and green possibilities of beginnings.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Many thanks, Grace 🙂
LikeLike
I love the shape your series of tetractys makes, Lisa, the way you played with the colour names, and the ‘industrious, distracted mice’! My favourite lines:
‘Blue
changes
about, tiptoes
in my peripheral vision at first.’
They reflect the many shades of blue.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So happy this pleased you and thank you for seeing the shades of blue here 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love how you break up the colors, and with the image, I am reminded of seeing the world in a caleidoscope
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Bjorn, that it is.
LikeLike
I love the shape of this poem, and the way you give the different colours such different personalities.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sarah, thanks!
LikeLike
Love this, and I ADORE the transition here with the style:
“I
dream or-
ange.
Yel-
low slides
under leaves…”
Something about that with the use of hyphens and spacing, it just intrigues me. Definitely accentuates the piece by breaking it up in this way. Incredible poetry, as always. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Lucy. Breaking them up was strictly for syllable constraints, but it does make things a little more interesting visually.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I struggled with this prompt but you excelled and topped off with a poetic form. bravo! Pure brilliance in this verse
“Yel-
low slides
under leaves, in
wait for industrious, distracted mice.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 So glad you enjoyed the poem, Laura. Thank you!
LikeLike
Flows beautifully, well done. Nicely ‘shaped’!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Francis. The prompt was very inspiring.
LikeLiked by 1 person
From the graphic to your very clever kaleidoscope poem, you created a masterpiece Lisa.well done! ☺️💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! roygbiv was a directive from the muse today
LikeLike
I love the way you’ve seamlessly woven the colours of the rainbow into one another here, to form a beautiful poetic tapestry. I remember Roy G Biv from school!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Ingrid! I use the color wheel in some of the art I do. The right combos don’t come naturally to me.
LikeLike
Intriguing is the right word to describe this, and the image is so good, the perfect match. I can see those colours sliding into place, or slotting sideways when the word is too wide. Love it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
High praise, Jane. Thank you.
LikeLike
My pleasure 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kudos, Lisa, you rocked the prompt, and introduced us to a spanking new form. I hope d’Verse uses it as a prompt, for it is visually intriguing, and it does smack of haiku or Eastern form.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy you like it. That shadow poetry site has a bunch of very cool forms. I got started on them with the OctWriPoMo prompts and got hooked.
LikeLike
I’m with Bjorn on the kaleidoscopic nature. Great use of form and masterful approach to prompt. Well done, Sister.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Ron!
LikeLike
Wonderful journey through the spectrum Lisa… 🙂 …especially like…
Yellow slides
under leaves, in
wait for industrious, distracted mice.
The picture is SPECTACULAR!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Please see the big smile on my face. I love the picture also. He has a whole series in that style.
LikeLike
Just returned Lisa to tell you thank you for turning me on to Afrimov… 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are very welcome, Rob. I love what he does with color!
LikeLike
I love your poem, JadeLi. The tetractys form is perfect for your words. This part is awesome:
“Blue
changes
about, tiptoes
in my peripheral vision at first.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Susan!
LikeLike
Wow! Brilliant piece, Lisa!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks, Eugi 🙂
LikeLike
Such a fantastic shape and structure to this poem, Lisa! 😀 I enjoyed it immensely 💝💝
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy to hear it, Sanaa. Many thanks ❤
LikeLike
You show us how it’s done, Lisa: gripping poetry.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha thank you, my friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
enjoy the flow and colour of this one, great personification of feelings!
unusual music which fits your composition and totally love your pic selection, a riot of colour!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a matched set 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
slam dunk!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is so good Li. Each color has its own projection.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a rainbow of feeling.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed. 🌈
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it is time for new green sprouts! We need to move beyond fear and dread and live again. Great poem Lisa.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Dwight!
LikeLike
Electronic music is perfect for this prompt, and a good complement to your poem, as is the painting. Back in the 80s there was an electronic music show on one of he local college stations, and I always enjoyed it. (K)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you and glad you like it, K. Boards of Canada is a good! Groovy you had a music show to hear electronica.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the way the form forces the unexpected word breaks. I found myself stopping not only at those, but also at the other colors (including the single syllable ones) because of the breaks. It’s not a form I’ve ever been particularly drawn to, but you make it sing here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Alexandra thank you for your feedback ❤
LikeLike
Cool. You got the rainbow in there, the tetractys- and the narrative is so heartfelt. This more than meets the bar.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Visually stunning! I enjoyed how “her lashes dip. She is Indigo.” I am really inside the head of one with synethesia here. Beautiful work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many thanks, Tricia. Glad you connected with it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I want to try a Tetracty (even if I want to call it a pterodactyl when I see the word – don’t ask -who knows – I’m weird)
Great job with the synesthesia and the form
LikeLiked by 1 person
Debi, I hope you do fly with the form 🙂 Thank you.
LikeLike
I like how each color is distinct, but fit together with breaks and stops. The image is perfect with your words.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Merril!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re very welcome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the pietry form note, will try it
Luv this
“Vi
o let”
Much💙love
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good! I hope you do!
LikeLike
I also love your beautiful painting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like this artist’s style.
LikeLiked by 1 person