Mary Lee, I really like your poem! I like your repetition and with your imagery I can clearly see Payne’s gray color on “the lid clouds of winter clouds” and “in the circles under my eyes.” I always wondered what a good word for the dark rim of clouds your “lid” is perfect. And I love how you continue with that simile set down on this morning’s pot of sky! I love again how you continued with your description of the color making it concrete and easy for me to imagine with these lines “tilled with just a crack of sunrise/ showing above rooftops-steely blue gray with hint a violet.” What a way you have with words. I love it. I resonate with the color of “dark circles under my eyes” and the “bruise where my shin met the bed frame.” The shin bruises remind me of all the bruises my daughters would get on their legs from playing soccer even with shin guards on. Those last three lines are a powerful and perfect ending. Thank you for your inspiration. I’m so glad I came to visit your blog.
Wow, Mary Lee! This poem has such depth of feeling. I love the name Payne’s (pain’s) gray for an almost-black watercolor. Your poem brings the color to life!
Your description of Payne’s Gray is so rich and painterly. I like its many uses. It feels a bit like the color that is at the bottom of Pandora’s box, when all the other colors have flown away.
Your imagery here is profound. I remember this color from taking some watercolor classes. It’s so versatile as you describe and deceptively not quite black.
I am sitting here at the end of a long school day (and what feels like a surprisingly long week) taking a few minutes to read some blogs. Your poem stopped me in my tracks. Thank you for sharing it. I will be sitting with it for a while.
LIke a painting itself, pushing deep into the emotions of a color made me read it several times, Mary Lee, loving that you shared these deeply personal words with us. It’s beautiful.
I’m quite taken by that lid of clouds on a pot of sky. And feel the personal oof of the dark circles and bruised shin. A moody piece with a crack of sunrise.
I could not read this fast enough–I am almost fainting with the joy of this poem, Mary Lee, where you took me, and the fitness of the name, even better en francais, gris de Payne. Thank you, thank you for the lid on the pot and circles and the bruise and your heart, your heart.
I will send immediately to my friend the art teacher and fine art painter, a Ms. Leela Payne…
Wow, Mary Lee! What a stunning poem! That second stanza with the lid of clouds on the pot of sky…and the dark circles and bruises…I’m just blown away by your craft and all that you accomplished here. Such a gorgeous, powerful and poignant poem!
ooooh. That ending. Yes. I’m being very aware of and in this month of cold and dark…not letting myself get to not quite black. That lilac shading intrigues me. I love how you suggest so much more color than black…that almost, that “not quite” embraces so much. I can picture the sunrise and the bruise and the turning green in my mind. Well done!
“the lid of winter clouds on a pot of sky” – what a beautiful image! Thank you for this loveliness (and the beautiful poem art I received in the mail today.)
Oh, Mary Lee, what a fascinating poetry subject. I am just sitting in awe of the pot of sky “tilted with just a crack of sunrise” and “the dark circles under my eyes,” Rich, indeed. So much to ponder and visualize in your poem.
A(nother) Year of Reading 
Mary Lee, I really like your poem! I like your repetition and with your imagery I can clearly see Payne’s gray color on “the lid clouds of winter clouds” and “in the circles under my eyes.” I always wondered what a good word for the dark rim of clouds your “lid” is perfect. And I love how you continue with that simile set down on this morning’s pot of sky! I love again how you continued with your description of the color making it concrete and easy for me to imagine with these lines “tilled with just a crack of sunrise/ showing above rooftops-steely blue gray with hint a violet.” What a way you have with words. I love it. I resonate with the color of “dark circles under my eyes” and the “bruise where my shin met the bed frame.” The shin bruises remind me of all the bruises my daughters would get on their legs from playing soccer even with shin guards on. Those last three lines are a powerful and perfect ending. Thank you for your inspiration. I’m so glad I came to visit your blog.
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Interesting metaphorical take on payne’s gray Mary Lee, it definitely adds mood to am image. Enjoy your journey with it, thanks!
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“The heart holding onto the idea of spring” – now there’s a great phrase (and a great prompt!) xo
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Wow, Mary Lee! This poem has such depth of feeling. I love the name Payne’s (pain’s) gray for an almost-black watercolor. Your poem brings the color to life!
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Your description of Payne’s Gray is so rich and painterly. I like its many uses. It feels a bit like the color that is at the bottom of Pandora’s box, when all the other colors have flown away.
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Your imagery here is profound. I remember this color from taking some watercolor classes. It’s so versatile as you describe and deceptively not quite black.
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Is it just me or did I read this as “pain’s gray” — oof. Beautiful, Mary Lee.
Patricia
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I am sitting here at the end of a long school day (and what feels like a surprisingly long week) taking a few minutes to read some blogs. Your poem stopped me in my tracks. Thank you for sharing it. I will be sitting with it for a while.
LikeLike
LIke a painting itself, pushing deep into the emotions of a color made me read it several times, Mary Lee, loving that you shared these deeply personal words with us. It’s beautiful.
LikeLike
I’m quite taken by that lid of clouds on a pot of sky. And feel the personal oof of the dark circles and bruised shin. A moody piece with a crack of sunrise.
LikeLike
I could not read this fast enough–I am almost fainting with the joy of this poem, Mary Lee, where you took me, and the fitness of the name, even better en francais, gris de Payne. Thank you, thank you for the lid on the pot and circles and the bruise and your heart, your heart.
I will send immediately to my friend the art teacher and fine art painter, a Ms. Leela Payne…
LikeLike
Wow, Mary Lee! What a stunning poem! That second stanza with the lid of clouds on the pot of sky…and the dark circles and bruises…I’m just blown away by your craft and all that you accomplished here. Such a gorgeous, powerful and poignant poem!
LikeLike
ooooh. That ending. Yes. I’m being very aware of and in this month of cold and dark…not letting myself get to not quite black. That lilac shading intrigues me. I love how you suggest so much more color than black…that almost, that “not quite” embraces so much. I can picture the sunrise and the bruise and the turning green in my mind. Well done!
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Mary Lee, this is another wow poem. The imagery in the 2nd stanza is amazing. I also like this line:
The heart holding onto the idea of spring Ah, springtime!
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“the lid of winter clouds on a pot of sky” – what a beautiful image! Thank you for this loveliness (and the beautiful poem art I received in the mail today.)
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“the lid of winter clouds”–what a great image!
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Oh… I’m going to save this one. it’s stunning. Thank you for this.
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Gorgeous imagery here, Mary Lee. And those last lines! (Me too, friend, me too.)
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Oh, Mary Lee, what a fascinating poetry subject. I am just sitting in awe of the pot of sky “tilted with just a crack of sunrise” and “the dark circles under my eyes,” Rich, indeed. So much to ponder and visualize in your poem.
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