Roses are red, that much is true, but violets are purple, not fucking blue.
I have been waiting for this post all my life.
They are indeed purple, But one thing you’ve missed: The concept of “purple” Didn’t always exist.
Some cultures lack names For a color, you see. Hence good old Homer And his “wine-dark sea.”
A usage so quaint, A phrasing so old, For verses of romance Is sheer fucking gold.
So roses are red. Violets once were called blue. I’m hugely pedantic But what else is new?
My friend you’re not wrong
About Homer’s wine-ey sea!
Colours are a matter
Of cultural contingency;
Words are in flux
And meanings they drift
But the word purple
You’ve given short shrift.
The concept of purple,
My friends, is old
And refers to a pigment
once precious as gold.
By crushing up molluscs
From the wine-dark sea
You make a dye:
Imperial decree
Meant that in Rome,
to wear purpura was a privilege reserved
For only the emperor!
The word ‘purple’,
for clothes so fancy,
Entered English
By the ninth century
.
Why then are voilets
Not purple in song?
The dye from this mollusc,
known for so long
Is almost magenta;
More red than blue.
The concept of purple
is old, and yet new.
The dye is red,
So this might be true:
Roses are purple
And violets are blue
.
While this song makes me merry, Tyrian purple dyes many a hue From magenta to berry And a true purple too.
But fun as it is to watch this poetic race The answer is staring you right in the face: Roses are red and violets are blue Because nothing fucking rhymes with purple.
it’s easy to fall back into old habits, but it’s far more rewarding to learn from them.
ii. february
you are capable of far more than you believe. spend your days breaking barriers you didn’t even know existed.
iii. march
mortality is fragile; he knew it, and you know it. there’s nothing you could have done to save someone who didn’t want to be saved.
iv. april
sometimes, you have to take responsibility for things you didn’t do in order to maintain necessary peace.
v. may
goodbyes are never easy; as your heart is ripped apart, remember they’re headed off to change the world. the opportunities are endless. be excited for them.
vi. june
don’t be afraid to trust; although others have torn you to shreds, the way he looks at you with soft eyes should make you believe he is different. he’s after your heart; give it to him.
vii. july
even an ocean between you two can’t stop the love you feel for him. no amount of vodka can drown it; learn to accept your feelings.
viii. august
it’s okay to put faith in your own judgements. your gut feeling is normally right, so listen to what it tells you.
ix. september
when you are patient, good things will come. don’t lose hope just because there’s a wait.
x. october
it’s important to know when to stop waiting and take matters into your own hands. if you want to know the taste of his lips, stop complaining and find out for yourself.
xi. november
kiss him whenever you can and tell him you love him with your words and without. take advantage of the time you have together because, soon, thousands of miles will separate you.
xii. december
stop holding back who you are, and allow yourself to be vulnerable for once. it will pay off, dear.
