Susan Ashley Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

January 4, 2018

~ Fourth Place ~
Premiere Contest: 2025 Poetry Marathon Mile 3
Sponsor: Mark Toney

~ Third Place ~
Premiere Contest: You Choose
Sponsor: Brian Strand

~ Second Place ~
Contest: Free Verse: Winter Blues
Sponsor: Laura Loo

*Included in PoetrySoup's anthology, Reflections on the Important Things, published on November 15, 2023

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Winter Blues - I Cry For Color

I shiver tears.
My joie de vivre;
summer esprit’s lemon zest,
lilac flirts and coral whispers 
have escaped me ~
grievous gray 
now flows through my veins.

I shiver melancholia, 
entombed with my winter blues
in the dark dreamless hollow 
of my frowning igloo.
Draped in decor of dispirited drear
I wear a wistful woebegone fog,
an overcoat of overcast moods.
I weep wall to wall
in the listless light-less nights 
alone with my lonely longings—
my psyche withers
like a frost-stunned leaf;
I shrivel 
a little more each dull day.

I shiver sadness. 
My colorless tears 
cry out loud for color!
I yearn for watermelon sunsets
pink sands and tiki cocktails swirled 
with swizzle stick glee. 
I wish for rainbows to color 
my lackluster laughter
and crave for fireworks to celebrate 
in my mirthless eyes—
restless for Sol’s warm hands 
to tenderly undress and caress me
and lay bare my soul 
straitjacketed by winter blues.

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Sara Kendrick December 22, 2025 at 2:47 PM Congrats on all your wins on this one plus being featured on homepage today. Way to go. I enjoyed reading it even though it was quite a sad one. Sara K Susan Ashley December 31, 2025 at 9:30 AM Dear Sara thank you for your gracious visit and kind congrats. Your lovely thoughts are treasured. Warmest wishes for a happy new year.. ~Susan

Valsa George August 9, 2025 at 9:03 PM I can so well relate to your feelings... dear Susan. Grey skies and damp days douses my enthusiasm. When the sky weeps tears of pain, in my heart too pain wells up. When summer is paving way to winter, the enthusiasm in us too oozes out. "I yearn for watermelon sunsets pink sands and tiki cocktails swirled with swizzle stick glee. I wish for rainbows to color " These are my yearnings too. Beautiful description of how seasonal changes affect our moods. Your poem is laced with lovely images and your style is unique which others can never copy. Hearty Congratulations on your win in the Marathon mile contest. Susan Ashley August 16, 2025 at 6:40 PM Dearest Valsa, my sweet poetry friend, I relish your commiseration with me about the grievous gray of winter days, yet I’m so glad to know we yearn for the same vibrant sunshiny colors and textures and flavors of summer. In this way we celebrate too! Thank you for sharing in the imagery and emotions of this poem with me. Your poetic spirit graces my poem so beautifully and I’m grateful for your inspiring words and kind congrats. Warmest wishes, my dearest Valsa.. ~Susan

Andrea Dietrich August 9, 2025 at 1:29 PM Imagery off the charts. Congrats on a well deserved win Susan Ashley August 10, 2025 at 8:42 PM Dear Andrea, your uplifting words and kind congrats are truly appreciated. Thank you for your wonderful visit. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Sam Kauffman August 7, 2025 at 11:13 AM My Dearest Rhyme Time Fiend, sometimes winter seems to drain the marrow from our very soul with grey skies and unending storms of tears - a longing for bright summer to return to refill your veins with sunlight and a bright spirit. Having grown up in the NW I experienced those long days and months of greyness when everything took on a grey cast. Delighted to see this exquisite poem on the winners list. You speak the heart of so many, sweet poetry sis! Sending you warm summer blessings! Susan Ashley August 9, 2025 at 7:33 AM My Dearest Rhyme Time Fiend, it's so wonderful to see you! Thank you for sharing in the emotions and imagery of this winter poem with me. Despite the melancholy of this poem, I actually love winter. I don't mind the gray days or the cold, though the cold wind can bite and knife with a sharpness that take one's breath away. But dressing in layers is the key to beating the freeze lol! I adore the long cozy nights, and of course, I enjoy an old fashioned nor'easter with lots of snow and a pan of stew simmering on the stove :) So glad to receive your gracious comments, my esteemed and talented poetry sis! You are a gift from the poet gods! :) Warmest wishes sent to you, my sweet friend, on lemon zested zephyrs.. ~Susan

Mark Toney August 6, 2025 at 4:06 PM Susan, congratulations on your top 10 win on Mile 3 of my 2025 Poetry Marathon Contest. Love your lyrical and sensuous depiction of seasonal “melancolía,” as you long for the warmth of summer. Keep your running shoes on, because Mile 4 has already started. Susan Ashley August 8, 2025 at 8:11 AM Dear Mark, your thoughts about my poem are treasured. Thank you for your kind congrats and for my poem's placement in your esteemed contest. I'm honored the share the podium with the gifted poets on your list. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Margarita Lillico March 1, 2024 at 4:20 PM Congratulations! I feel the cold vibe for good months of winter on our beloved Canadian soil:) I admire your “poetiquette”! Susan Ashley March 1, 2024 at 6:17 PM Dear Margarita, sending you warm vibes of appreciation! Thank you for your kind congrats and lovely comments, they are uplifting. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

MB Farookh February 26, 2024 at 10:11 PM Congratulations, Susan. Beautifully written, and a sure winner in contests yet to come. Many blessings. Susan Ashley February 29, 2024 at 8:56 AM Dear MB, your gracious, uplifting comments and kind congrats are received with joy and appreciation. Thank you for sharing in the emotions of this poem with me. It's a pleasure to meet you, dear poet. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Eshe Benson June 22, 2022 at 10:48 PM Fantastic poem. Beautifully worded. Wow! I can almost feel the “grievous gray flowing through my veins.” Susan Ashley June 23, 2022 at 10:28 AM Dear Eshe, I am thrilled by your response to my poem. Thank you for sharing your precious thoughts with me and for your gracious visit. Both are held in my deepest appreciation. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Unseeking Seeker June 21, 2022 at 6:43 PM Must thank PS for featuring this gem penned in 2018, I see. A fave for me, Susan, what more can I say? God bless and be well. Susan Ashley June 22, 2022 at 10:36 AM Dear Unseeking Seeker, I am so pleased to know you enjoyed my poem. Thank you for sharing your precious thoughts with me and for the wonderful honor of your fave. Your delightful visit is truly appreciated. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Lonna Blodgett July 12, 2019 at 11:36 PM What an epiphany of what we are and can feel in the midst of a grey winter. Love it. Lonna Blodgett Susan Ashley July 19, 2019 at 5:59 PM Thank you, Lonna, for the joy of your visit and for sharing your lovely comments with me. Both are truly appreciated. Warmest wishes always.. ~Susan

Andrea Dietrich November 5, 2018 at 6:40 PM utterly gorgeous. If I have not seen it already, I am glad to see it today . i was looking for a poem to comment to and saw this was your SECOND most popular poem. Rightfully so! Susan Ashley November 7, 2018 at 9:18 PM Thank you, Andrea, for your gracious visit and beautiful comments, both are truly appreciated, as is your wonderful friendship. Warmest wishes always.. ~Susan

Line Gauthier May 5, 2018 at 9:37 PM Well done, Susan. Belated congrats on your fine win. Susan Ashley May 5, 2018 at 9:41 PM Your visit is such a pleasure, Line. Thank you for your time spent with my poem and your wonderful comments.. I truly appreciate your kindness. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Shadow Hamilton March 30, 2018 at 3:08 AM a great write that symbolises the dirge of winter well. exceptional poem hugs Susan Ashley March 30, 2018 at 11:58 AM Many thanks, Shadow, for the kindness of your visit and your beautiful comments. Warmest wishes and hugs. ~Susan

Laura Breidenthal March 20, 2018 at 11:20 AM You were recommended to me, and I am very glad you were because your poetry is fantastic. "I wear a wistful woebegone fog, an overcoat of overcast moods" Love it! My favorite line: "my colorless tears cry out loud for color" Very impressive piece. Always, Laura Susan Ashley March 20, 2018 at 6:20 PM Thank you Laura for your very impressive comments. It's so nice to make your acquaintance.. I'm so glad you enjoyed my poem. I truly appreciate your thoughts and the recommendation.. I just read your first poem posted here and it was superb. I'll be reading more of your poetry that's for sure. Warmest wishes. ~Susan

Andrea Dietrich March 12, 2018 at 6:18 PM I'm reading this and it looks so familiar to me. I must have commented on a previous comments page here. I see you won with the winter blues contest, so if I did not say it before. this was very well deserving of it. Congratulations Susan Ashley March 13, 2018 at 11:25 AM Yes Andrea, you did comment on my poem on the previous page and you faved it as well!:)) Thank you for your return visit, which makes your wonderful comment twice as nice, and for your kindhearted congrats as well.. Warmest wishes. ~Susan

Andrea Dietrich March 12, 2018 at 6:17 PM Susan, you are right about my daydream poem. I USED to always daydream and also I enjoyed reading. Those days are gone now. I only have time for writing poem, and watching movies or netflix!! Susan Ashley March 13, 2018 at 9:52 AM Andrea, we are much alike in this regard for the love of daydreaming, reading and now writing poetry.. though busier now we've consolidated our daydreaming and reading passions into the passion of poetry.. the artistic outlet will always find a way to flow..

Jan Allison February 5, 2018 at 2:11 PM dropping back with my congrats Susan your imagery is so wonderful this is an absolute gem:-) hugs jan xx Susan Ashley February 5, 2018 at 5:25 PM Thank you Jan for the delight of your visit and for your heartwarming congrats. Your lovely sentiments are deeply appreciated. Warmest wishes my friend. ~Susan

Asma Bashir January 28, 2018 at 5:20 AM superb touchy words on nature Susan Ashley February 3, 2018 at 2:43 PM I apologize for my late reply Asma.. thank you for your delightful visit and your heartwarming comment. Your kind words are deeply appreciated.. Warmest wishes. ~Susan

Gary Bateman January 26, 2018 at 5:54 PM Hello Dear Susan, Gee Whiz -- what can I say?? I'm very glad to (finally) drop by to read this marvelous poetic selection of yours. Another one of your flawless free verse specialties -- for sure!! I read this poem several times to fully appreciate its palpable message, its structure, and its very artful and subtle use of both metaphor and imagery!! (I particularly like the lead-off verse at the beginning of each stanza -- "I shiver XXXXX") Very Well-Done Susan!! A FAVE TOO!! Very glad to see it made the No. 1 Poem!! Cheers and Best Wishes, Gary Susan Ashley January 27, 2018 at 6:22 PM Gary, I just love the exuberance and the detail of your beautiful critique, your comments are of the highest order. Thank you Gary for taking the time to leave your lovely thoughts with me. Your kind insight is treasured as I always learn a new lesson from reading your thoughtful comments. Also, your fave and your warm congrats are deeply appreciated as well. Warmest wishes always my friend. ~Susan

Jan Allison January 25, 2018 at 7:07 PM I shivered reading your melancholy imagery Susan and I am sure many can relate to suffering from periods of depression and feeling down during the dull dreary winter days. I love your use of colour in the final stanza:-) hugs jan xx Susan Ashley January 26, 2018 at 3:55 PM Jan, thank you for your wonderful visit and for sharing your meaningful thoughts with me. Your beautiful comments are truly appreciated. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Lekha Sharma January 24, 2018 at 6:26 AM Wowww... Susan Ashley January 24, 2018 at 7:08 PM Thank you Lekha for your wonderful 'Wowww...' I just love that! Warmest wishes.. :) ~Susan

Gershon Wolf January 23, 2018 at 9:54 PM Susan, you've "told it like it is," and in high poetic style, laced with images and splashes of color and summer validated by (my) experience, that "feel real." Mucho gusto! ---gw Susan Ashley January 24, 2018 at 7:10 PM Thank you Gershon, for your wonderful visit and heartwarming comments. Your warm words are certainly appreciated and it's a pleasure to meet you.. Warmest wishes... ~Susan

Connie Marcum Wong January 23, 2018 at 4:53 PM I absolutely love this poem Susan! Excellent! This beauty is going into my Faves! Congratulations on having it number one on the Best New Poems List! Susan Ashley January 23, 2018 at 5:18 PM Connie, your beautiful and exuberant response to my poem enlivens my spirit.. Thank you for your very lovely comments, the Fave and your heartwarming congrats. All are deeply appreciated.. Hugs and warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Frances Schiavina January 23, 2018 at 2:44 PM Well said. Great contrast of color and feelings. Susan Ashley January 23, 2018 at 3:14 PM Thank you Frances for your lovely visit and your wonderful comments. Each is truly appreciated.. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Darlene De Beaulieu January 23, 2018 at 12:53 PM A lot of people get the winter blues this time of year. These people need colour for their surroundings. I enjoyed your poetry. Have a nice day my friend. Susan Ashley January 23, 2018 at 3:12 PM Hi Darlene, it's such a pleasure to see you once again.. Thank you for your lovely and insightful comments. I'm pleased that you enjoyed my poem and I truly appreciate your heartwarming words.. Warmest wishes my friend.. ~Susan

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