Pick a color, any color

Have you ever picked one thing—for example, a number or a letter or a color—and played around with it to see how far you could go with it?

The newest issue of Cranky has a wonderful poem called "Blue," by Laurie Rosenblatt. It isn't online, and I don't want to infringe by typing it and posting it—but I really enjoyed reading it (if you have a chance, check it out).

I've also seen some wonderful poems on the number six and the letter L. All potential Sesame Street reference aside, the poems are playful and inventive. I'm amazed at the connections and allusions the poets are able to make.

Inspired by that blue poem, I thought I'd try to choose another color. Here is my early attempt at green:

Green, with Envy

Kneel in the color of grass
and softness of moss,
sharp to the smell of mold.
Pastures and olive leaves,
the nubby skin of a lime.

Newness, ingenue,
a lack of experience.
Spring, Kelly, Emerald,
Apple or algae,
Jade or Celadon:

a glint in the ocean,
the cut of a gem,
the shine in your eyes.
Lettuce—or onions, as in scallions.
Avocado, as in appliances.

Chartreuse.
True green,
a wave of illness,
pallor around the gills,
if we still had our gills.

I'm sure that I'm missing a lot, but it's a starting point.

Have you tried this? Have you tried other starting points—besides colors or letters or numbers?