- HubPages»
- Books, Literature, and Writing»
- Poems & Poetry
Why we should experience and value the many colors of life
Colors. Shades and hues that we see everyday, but often take for granted.
Imagine a day, though, when the colors around us disappear and we are left in a monochrome world. How would life be?
Why we should value colors
A monochrome world does not leave room for self-expression.
I would be the first to admit to the beauty of many black and white photographs and paintings. However, if one is color-blind and sees only in black and white, there is little room to maneuver with the description of the things around us.
A colorless world has little variety.
There are many things that we would not be able to experience fully if there was no color. Without color, we would not be able to see the beauty of the rainbow, or enjoy the privilege of colored photos that we are able to take these days.
There is little guidance in a colorless world.
In a colorless world, we would not be able to tell a child, “eat that red apple” or “wait for me on the brown swing.” Colors teach children to put together pieces of art.
A colorless world is tedious.
A colorless world is draining and tiring. To see a world without color would be a drag because things seem often repeated.
A colorless world is mundane.
In short, a colorless world is boring. Everything tends to look similar when constantly seen in monochrome.
Now, on to a little sestina I wrote about looking at a Monochrome Canvas.
The Monochrome Canvas
The uni-colored canvas, so very dull,
Displayed in sole monotone
Template vacuous, the soul empty
Black and white shades, hues so shallow
A challenge to effusive substance
A canvas of mundanity, lacking in variance.
No array of colors, none of vibrance,
Range ill-evident, variance dull,
No colors assorted, provides no substance,
Existence a dreary monotone
With meaning that is sheer and shallow
Colorless canvas, vacuous, empty
A canvas colorless is tedious, empty
Tiresome, mundane, with no vibrance
Monotonous empty pit, weary, shallow
To live within, so dank and dull,
Shades of black, eerie monotone
Vacuum devoid of variant substance
With subdued hues, art remiss, no substance
A patch of black and white, ignored, empty
A canvas of gaps and yearning in monotone
Exhausted art that misses vibrance
Displayed now with ache so dull
And luminescence wan and shallow
Canvas expressionless, with hues so shallow,
Faceless, vacant, without substance
Sheet of lifelessness, now so dull
Impassive template, soulless, empty
Colorless portrait, no tone or vibrance
Set, stoic, in hue less monotone
Over the rainbow
Brush cannot paint with hues in monotone
Creates still life with colors shallow
Immobile strokes, stalled, paint with no vibrance
No painting forms with palette empty
A portrait formed in dolor, dull
Lifeless forms in monochrome, colorless, dull
Whitewashed monotone, motionless, empty
A picture vacant and so shallow
Blank, lacking in variant vibrance.
Conclusion
Life without color is indeed like painting on an empty canvas.I would like to thank the writers who answered the question Can You Imagine Life Without Color? Please pay them a visit!
Here’s to a colorful life for us all.
- The reasons why we should write poetry:an acrostic p...
On the benefits of writing poetry, some wonderful poets and an acrostic poem for National Poetry Month - When the creature named hunger devours, an inspirati...
A musette on the driving force of hunger. - When the light from a lighthouse shines for all: an ...
In our search for life’s purpose, we quite often selfishly think only of our our own needs. We finally find it when we consider the needs of others. - The dangers of disrespect and overcoming its consequ...
On the dangers of disrespect, coming out of its darkness and a trillinea poem. - Holding sunlight in your hand: a song about how to s...
A little song about being positive despite the negativity of this world. - A tribute to our imaginary friends, Peace, Wealth an...
A poetic tribute to peace, wealth and happiness - In the turbulent sea of humanity
Being human is facing ups and downs - an eternal struggle to be kind, to be generous, and to be patient. - The welcome warmth of a hearty salutation:an inspira...
A poem on the importance of giving someone a warm greeting. - When the creature named hunger devours, an inspirati...
A musette on the driving force of hunger.
Comments
- Author
Indeed, it is a wonderful gift. Thanks for sharing, Aplethora23.
One of the best gifts I have ever received was learning how to see colors in the world around me again. Thank you for posting this.
- Author
That's true, aviannovice! And we often take them for granted! Thanks for coming by!
- Author
Thanks, Kulewriter. It is, and perspective is so important. Thanks for sharing!
It is amazing all the beautiful colors and variations of them that we can all see in out daily lives. Well done!
While painting, it is best to view colors are light and dark or shadowing. This helps the artist decide about his light-source more easily and to create the effects he/she desires as a communication. Rembrandt knew this.
After all, color is only a manifestation of refracted (split) white light.
- Author
Hi Alexadry. Colors really add vibrancy to our lives! Fascinating how you used to do oil painting. It's always fascinating how colors combine! Thanks for sharing!
- Author
Thanks, Who. I wonder about that too...we take a lot for granted! Thanks for sharing!
That was beautiful Midget! I love colors and used to do oil painting years ago. While I love vibrant colors, I am also fascinated by black and white pictures, and guess it's just because of the diversity or how nicely lights and shadows contrast . I am sure though if life suddenly turned only black and white, I would be craving colors so bad!
Thank you midget, for sharing this fine work and its message of light. I have often wondered what life would be like for those such as Helen Keller and the blind who may have never seen colors. The greatest stretch of our imaginations can only produce a small rendering of such a mighty task. Thanks again and well received, my friend. whonu
- Author
Thanks, Meldz. With no color, there is no variety! Thanks for sharing!
I agree with you. We need to have a colorful life and to have color is to enjoy the gifts of life and the people that comes with it. Enjoyed your poem. :-)
- Author
Yes, indeed, us sighted people do tend to take things a little for granted. Life without color is a little boring! Thanks for sharing!
A beautiful poem and a look at what all us sighted people take for granted.
Hard to imagine what it would be like without colour except when looking at black and white photographs of course. Does make you wonder what the world is like for those without sight. Nice hub.
- Author
Thanks, Cyndi! I know animals like dogs cannot see as many colors as we can. Without color, there are very few things we can do! Thanks for sharing!
- Author
Yes, Rasma. Black and white makes a statement, but it's the colors that add that missing dimension to life!
- Author
Thanks, Sue! Glad you like it! Thanks for the votes and share!
Thank goodness color is all around us.. Even when there is total black or total white, there is always a splash of color that is needed. There are so many colors. Colors are even important to our everyday lives and we depend on it to give us cues to many things in our lives. I understand there are even colors on the spectrum we can't see or imagine, but that other animals can.
I enjoyed this commentary on color. Well done.
Voted up and interesting. Black and white provides mystery but it's all those spectacular colors that make the world go round.
Hi Michelle,
You have painted a masterpiece with your colorful sestina. First one I have ever read. Very impressive!
Voted up and sharing.
Have a great week :)
- Author
Glad you enjoyed it, Becky.
- Author
Thanks, Vinaya.
Hi Michele,
Great job! Love it!
Becky
Michelle,
Your color works is wonderful. Thanks for sharing colors of life.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Cheers
- Author
Yes, we do...and sadly take all that we have for granted too. Thanks, Kathii!
- Author
Yes, Girishpuri. Life will be terrible without color! Thanks for sharing!
- Author
Thanks, Kulewriter.
- Author
Thanks Mhatter!
Thumbs up Michele... we have much to be thankful for, how could we not feel that after listening to "somewhere over the rainbow" Thank you for sharing the world of color with us! Kathi :o)
Michele, i just can't imagine a life without colors. thank God for creating colors. God bless.
Thanks, Michelle, for your reply comment on my post.
Thank you for this. So true and a great metaphor.
- Author
Thanks, Janine!
- Author
That's right, and write, Penny, well said! We would not be able to express anything without color. Thanks for sharing!
- Author
Thanks, Daisy. Yup, the sestina constrains because of the structured repetition, happens more than in any other form. Glad you've enjoyed it though!
- Author
Yes, it's what we were given and we should cherish it. Thanks for sharing, Bill.
- Author
Yes, that red definitely brings the tragedy home, and it is definitely interesting that you have brought it up! I love Schindler's List too.
- Author
Hi Kidscrafts! I love black and white, actually, but when we see everything in that things will get draining after a while. Thanks for sharing!
- Author
Wow. An entire house in beige!! Unless she perks it up with paintings and a few other ornaments laid out in specific places, that would definitely be a bore. Thanks for sharing!
- Author
Thanks Eddy!
- Author
Hi Jo! Thank you. It's a difficult form because it is constrained by the structured repetition. Thanks for sharing! Colors affect everything!
- Author
Yes, Ruchira, without it, there would be no life! Thanks for sharing!
Thank god, man created color. It sure has beauty and gives spark to live.
Beautiful hub and agree with your pointers.
Voted up as useful, interesting
Michelle, you did a brilliant job with the Sestina, well done!..I know how difficult it is to do it well, and you did just that.
Colours can also be practical, sometime nature uses it to distinguish between what is good to eat and what is poisonous, certain colours will affect our moods. You are so right, a world without colours would be a much poorer world.
Beautifully done, my best to you.
A wonderful read Michelle and another for me to vote up and share. Have a great day.
Eddy.
I surround myself with colors! I have a friend who has decorated her entire house using beige. I think that is SO boring.
Life would be so bland without color.
Voted UP and shared.
Black and white can be great in a picture when you play with light and the subject, etc. But colours make me want to live fully and take everything in! When you go to a tropical country with nice sandy beach, palm trees and turquoise water...and take that picture in black and white on one hand and then in colour....my winner will definitely be the coloured one :-)
Well, midget38, I thought of the young girl in the red coat in the movie, Schindler's List, while reading your Hub. Yes, the color splashes a large statement across Spielberg's monochromatic scene, but, equally I think, the black and white starkness of the rest of the movie speaks volumes in stark contrast to the single color.
Why should we value it? Because it's the only life we get. :) Love the poetry and the message.
Michelle,
The previous comments only mentioned the subject matter of your article, not your poetry. What I like the most about this Hub is the fact that you included a sestina, a poetry form which, for me, is difficult to write and fascinating to read.
What would life be like if trees were not green in spring and red, yellow and orange in fall? What if a rose did not bloom in pink, purple or all the colors we attribute to roses? What if eyes were not blue, hazel or brown? Would we be living in a perpetual winter?
Beautiful Michelle and I agree I agree that life is so much more fun and interesting in color!! Have of course voted up and shared, too!!
52