The Inherent Colour of a Thing by Clara Otto

October 19, 2023
Poem title: The Inherent Colour of a Thing Poet name: Clara Otto Poem: Millennial pink: the satin house robe I take nudes in, a gift. Colour isn’t inherent in objects. Pink Lake is green. It was named after the Pink Family. Blush: the beret bought after a bad haircut. Light is necessary for the perception of colour. There are seven pink lakes in the world. One could argue they are red or purple, depending on one’s agenda. Magenta: A pair of mismatched cat earrings made from polymer clay, sealed with clear nail polish. When we see colour what we see is what is being reflected. Pink lakes are usually pink due to algae and salt. Barbie pink: a tin of salve—rose and mint. Hue, lightness, and saturation. 2016 two colours of the year—Rose Quartz (baby pink) and Serenity (baby blue). Puce: a package of wildflower seeds—the pacific northwest blend. Our retinas are considered to be part of our brains, they are covered in millions of light-receptive cells. I have spent my life loving a reflection. End of poem. Credits and bio: Copyright © Clara Otto Clara Otto is a queer writer living on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She is an MFA candidate at the University of British Columbia. Her work has been published in The Ex-Puritan, just femme and dandy, and elsewhere. When not writing, you can find her scouring thrift stores for pottery and drinking bubble tea.