What is Green?
Tonight our writers group met, and our topic was, "Green." One of our number, Claire Alexander, wrote a delightlful poem, and with her permission, here it is:
To write a poem about “Green,” I checked out The Synonym Finder by J. I. Rodale, and the Canadian Oxford Dictionary’s long list of “green,” and found both negative and positive meanings for the colour. Robert Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Holy Bible also added insights, giving the Greek terms hugros (moist green) and chloros (pale green). Several Hebrew forms are given: yaraq, yaroq, yereq, karpas, lach, ratob, raanan, and eb (budding). Only Psalm 23 uses deshe, the tender grass.
What Is Green?
In childhood, lenses rose and green
brought magic to my view;
and soon the emerald home of Oz
helped Dorothy’s tale seem true.
Observing life, my language grew,
through nature’s blue-green shades;
my writing learned exciting hues
of azure, sea-green, jades.
But, “You’re so green” established doubt
that a greenhorn was my dream;
instead, I craved a green thumb’s skill
or a greenwood by a stream.
When teens put off such childhood chores
as weeding lettuce beds,
I noticed green-eyed monsters rear
their ugly, non-green heads.
More recently, with greenhouse gas,
Greenpeacers have their say.
Vocab expands, as greenmail acts
greenwash their truth away.
Greengrocers help me to recall
the juicy greengage theme,
and then I wonder if I could
green’s nuances redeem.
The one green verdure through my life
I learned at Mother’s knee;
my Shepherd’s pastures still are green
and they’re enough for me.
Claire Alexander – July 10, 2008
Psalm 23:2-3 (Amplified Bible)
2He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.
3He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake.
To write a poem about “Green,” I checked out The Synonym Finder by J. I. Rodale, and the Canadian Oxford Dictionary’s long list of “green,” and found both negative and positive meanings for the colour. Robert Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Holy Bible also added insights, giving the Greek terms hugros (moist green) and chloros (pale green). Several Hebrew forms are given: yaraq, yaroq, yereq, karpas, lach, ratob, raanan, and eb (budding). Only Psalm 23 uses deshe, the tender grass.
What Is Green?
In childhood, lenses rose and green
brought magic to my view;
and soon the emerald home of Oz
helped Dorothy’s tale seem true.
Observing life, my language grew,
through nature’s blue-green shades;
my writing learned exciting hues
of azure, sea-green, jades.
But, “You’re so green” established doubt
that a greenhorn was my dream;
instead, I craved a green thumb’s skill
or a greenwood by a stream.
When teens put off such childhood chores
as weeding lettuce beds,
I noticed green-eyed monsters rear
their ugly, non-green heads.
More recently, with greenhouse gas,
Greenpeacers have their say.
Vocab expands, as greenmail acts
greenwash their truth away.
Greengrocers help me to recall
the juicy greengage theme,
and then I wonder if I could
green’s nuances redeem.
The one green verdure through my life
I learned at Mother’s knee;
my Shepherd’s pastures still are green
and they’re enough for me.
Claire Alexander – July 10, 2008
Psalm 23:2-3 (Amplified Bible)
2He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.
3He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake.
Comments
I don't get around to this blog often enough, but when I do, I always love it.