Falling star, fire sublime, colossus moon,
songs rocking in your neural cradle,
you loved all things purple: thistle heads,
eggplant, monsters, tulips, beets, grief,
eye shadow, lilac trees, grapes and wine,
the Purple Emperor Butterfly,
the polar bear’s tongue, fresh bruises, salvia,
carrots before the 17th century, beetles,
orchid fish, the indigo snake, the violet sea snail,
rain falling on the purple neon marquee
where your formerly-known name was bent
into glass tubes, raspberries, hearts, peppers,
potatoes, macaroons, shoes, old tattoos.
You stood for all things royal, for magic, mystery,
dignity. You knew in 1900 B.C. it took 12,000
shellfish to extract 1.5 grams of pure dye – enough
for a single garment the size of a Roman toga,
that the color purple is the most powerful
visible wavelength of electromagnetic energy,
next to x-rays and gamma rays,
that it’s a combination of opposites: hot red,
cool blue. Plush color of decadence, casket satin
and of mourning.
Dorianne Laux
~
To read more fantastic poetry dedicated to PRINCE go to www.depoetry.com.
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The Delaware Poetry Review, or DePoetry.com, is an online compilation of amazing, contemporary poetry gathered by a group of erudite editors based in the Mid-Atlantic Region. This notable compilation of poetry has been available since 2007, publishing new editions about once a year.
Each edition features a variety of poets chosen by the editors. This blog features our published poets.
More new works from the Mid-Atlantic Region are available at DePoetry.com. For feedback, contact depoet@capegazette.com or go to facebook.com/delawarepoetryreview.
