Verbal Blues

What a sky! 
A photo couldn't do it justice. 
I wish I could paint it. 
Perhaps a poem. 
Yes, that's it 
A poem would surely 
do the trick. 

So many hues 
all of those blues! 

How does one 
put gradation into words? 

It starts out sort of Cyan near the bottom 
or is that Aquamarine? 
I know it isn't Turquoise. 

It starts out sort of Cyan near the bottom 
and moves up through Sapphire. 
At least I think it's Sapphire. 
What do you call that color? 
Isn't it Sapphire? 

It starts out sort of Cyan near the bottom 
and moves up through some kind of Sapphire. 
Then it melds in to Princess, Columbia, and North Carolina, 
Kitchen and Country and Robin's Egg too 
(though I'm not sure which order), 
and on to True Blue. 

Oh WAIT 
no, back up, 
down below 
because I just know 
in my soul that 
that's Sea Foam 
that's seen 
between the Cyan 
and Aquamarine 
I mean Sapphire 
at least I THINK 
that that's Sapphire. 


It starts out sort of Cyan near the bottom 
and moves up through Sea Foam 
and on to Sapphire. 
Then it melds in to Princess, Columbia, and North Carolina, 
Kitchen and Country and Robin's Egg too 
(though I'm not sure which order), 
and on to True Blue. 

Then deeper, 
but a bit duller first 
as planes leave the earth 
into Dodger and Royals 
and Gun Metal too 
then Yankee and Navy and Police-uniform too 
and finally deepest 
at Midnight 
up where the the celestial dome has it's apex 

But all of this color 
is somewhat transparent 
like watercolor- 
tempera or acrylic 
never could do 
a watercolor glaze 
could let the under-painting 
show through, 
a vibrant 
majestic 
base coat of 
Cobalt! 

And on top 
of these 
on top 
of these washes 
and layers- 
some opaque white clouds 

No, no, no 
they can't be so flat 
a little variation will take care of that 
Titanium White 
and some Ivory and Bone 
a little bit Platinum and a little bit Chrome 
some Arctic and Cream 
and the palest Pale Gray that you ever have seen. 

Too beautiful for words, 
ya know what I mean?