They called her Indigo, not the name of a goddess,
but Greek all the same, meaning Indian dye.
She’s the turning of twilight, the tint of an iris
that blooms in the garden or the depth of an eye.
Her name gives her freedom to stride where she pleases
in new jeans the blue of a late summer night,
free from innate supernatural abilities,
steeped in her blues, though they never shine bright.
They’re the colour of wisdom, intuition and focus,
she foresees the future in indigo sight
through flashes of crystals and mingling incenses,
weaving pictures with whatever indigo invites.
Kim M. Russell, 11th May 2021
Image by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash
My response to dVerse Poets Pub Poetics: Blue Tuesday
I’m minding the bar for Sarah tonight with another colour prompt. Last March, she asked us to write in red, a ‘pretty straightforward’ colour: it’s ‘out there – fiery, passionate, dangerous!’ Today she would like some poems in blue, ‘a little cooler, a little stranger, a little more mysterious.’
Sarah gives us a lot of blue, such as sky, sea, calm and peacefulness. She says that we can feel blue, sing the blues, and explores other meanings of blue, as well as sharing poems by Robert Francis and Amy Lowell.
This Tuesday, we’re writing a splash, an ocean, a shimmer of blue, or in my poem, the depths of a deeper colour and character, with a touch of narrative voice.
Oh, I love this hymn to the color… almost like the color is a deity..
Especially the last couplet
through flashes of crystals and mingling incenses,
weaving pictures with whatever indigo invites.
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I’m so glad it hit the spot, Bjorn! I love those dark blues.
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This has such a lyrical lovely rhythm. It begs to be read aloud! I love it.
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Thank you, Bev. I think I might read it at Open Link Night on Thursday.
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Indigo is one of the most intriguing shades of blue I think. One of the colours of the rainbow, right next to true blue but a deeper hue! I like the humility expressed in these lines:
‘free from innate supernatural abilities,
steeped in her blues, though they never shine bright.’
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Thank you, Ingrid! My favourite shade of blue.
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It would seem there are many sides to her beauty.
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Dark blue is a gorgeous shade.
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You had me, Kim, with the first 4 words. And then the second stanza …. such depth of beauty here.
And then I smiled at her in new jeans….striding freely…that sense of freedom and assertiveness. And then I come to mingling incense…..oh yes..you are appealing to so many senses here. Really love this approach to the prompt!
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Thank you very much, Lill!
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Indigo is such a rich colour. I wonder if it’s because of the red in it.
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I think so. It’s warmer than most of the other blues.
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True.
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Great stuff, KR. Love them jeans and all the other blues, too. Salute!
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Salute right back at you, Ron – it’s a girl guide salute, as I’ve never learnt a grown-up one. 🙂
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Oh yes, jeans on a summer’s night. You’ve captured this shade of blue and just that feeling of easy-going mysticism. Wonderful.
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Thank you so much!
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They wouldn’t let him near!
He’d piss in their fireplace!
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Turbulent!
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A sterling poetic, strong and beautiful, with sweet rhyming and clever phrasing. INDIGO IS A WINNER.
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Thank you, Glenn. That shade of blue is a winner for me.
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Beautiful writing, Kim. “through flashes of crystals and mingling incenses,
weaving pictures with whatever indigo invites.” Wow! Good, good writing. 🙂
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Thank you so much! 😉
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i have always loved inego blue jeans. took me back to the late summer nights of my teen years thanks
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🙂
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I love these lines, Kim:
“She’s the turning of twilight, the tint of an iris
that blooms in the garden or the depth of an eye.”
limitless worlds found in these places!
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Thank you, Lisa!
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You’re welcome 🙂
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What a beautiful description of indigo! An entity all its own. Stunning write!
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Thank you so much, Mary!
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Of yes, an iris for sure!
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We used to have a whole bed of beautiful irises in a previous garden, but sadly none in our present garden, although it is damp enough. My second cousin’s name is Iris.
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Snap. Our previous house in Godstone had a boggy patch filled with tall irises. Lovely for cut flowers. Peder is making me a border just for cut flowers this summer.
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I enjoyed the personification, especially with the alliteration “She’s the turning of twilight, the tint . . .”
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Thank you, Maria.
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I love just the sound of the word indigo–it’s a color that evokes so much richness and depth. (K)
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It is my favourite shade of blue.
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a real glint of female power emanates from this poem and Joni’s song reinforces the depth!
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Thanks Kate!
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I love this: “Her name gives her freedom to stride where she pleases in new jeans the blue of a late summer night” I’m gonna have to change my name to Indigo now! 😁
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Thank you, Tricia! 😉
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Welcome!
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Really great. I really love your introduction, with those first two lines.
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Thank you, Susan.
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Indigo my favorite shade – the third eye – filled with wisdom and freedom of visions.
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My favourite shade too 🙂
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This line made me smile broadly. Such a beautiful poem, Kim.
❤
David
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Thank you kindly, David. 🙂
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I love your mystical Indigo in blue jeans, full of wisdom and sweetness.
Dwight
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Thank you, Dwight.
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This is beautiful snd wondrous Kim. Indigo is such a striking color, very regal. My niece calls herself an “Indigo Child”, although I don’t fully understand what that means. Well written piece!
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Thank you, Rob! Your comments are always appreciated.
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Indigo is definitely a color for crystals and incense. Supernatural yet at the same time as down to earth as new blue jeans. Enjoyed the poem.
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Thanks Maggie.
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Very lovely, Kim. THe rhythm, the melody … yes I think Bjorn calling it a hymn is so apt. We dance with you and this beautiful colour in a swirl of admiration and lyricism. It’s just so enjoyable.
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Thank you so much!
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Indigo has been given character!
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Thanks Sean!
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Gorgeous. You’ve encapsulated indigo ❤
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Thank you, Sunra!
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