Peonies

It's only when I came to draw a vase of peonies in a still life that I noticed their variations in colour, and the impossibility of capturing their gorgeous combinations on the page. 


Crimson at their core,
Petals cluster in frilly carmine,
Bright cerise, cherry red, 
Purple where they layer, one tight to another,
Fading to pale mauve, grey-violet, where the light hits. 
Three peony heads loll voluptuously in a white vase;
Hand crafted, its simple, hard-squared edges emphasise
The complications of each heavy blood-red globe.

© Copyright 2024. Chris Auger. All Rights Reserved

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