True Colors of Madison
Now this was in months past, mind you
Whodathunk that this move would find you
midst masses of rowdy-sprout color
from the bloodred truth to the duller
Not one box yet unpacked, you hightailed
to the Capitol, there you right-railed
‘gainst the governor, Koch Brothers feaster
(though we failed to toss him on his keester)
For the sake of each other’s opinions
They had gathered, the Left and Right minions
And there, near the downtown Radisson,
you found the true colors of Madison.
© 2013 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Hannah, promptress extraordinaire at Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, offered us rows and patchwork valleys of tulips for a colorful prompt. I do love flowers, but I found the best colors of my life at the 2012 Madison Pro-Union Protests… red, white, blue, and then some! For me, color has a voice, and the more “colorful,” the more effective. I did love the golden glow my camera managed to catch; even the slight blur belies action.
This pic shows an array of color – lots of “Badger Red,” as we are the Badger State and red is the color of our home teams. Then green for peace and any color each person could throw on as we ran out our doors downtown, to wage battle for union rights against a truly clueless, mouth-breathing governor. He prevailed for the time… but we will not be broken. Next election, he’s out on his precious Teapot, if the elections are not once again paid for by billionaires.
Leave it to me to take a peaceful, flower-y prompt and go all political on you. But hey, what did you expect? Black-Eyed Susans? This is me. Peace, Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
Kerry O'Connor
This is a very cool interpretation of the prompt, Amy, and it bounces along in double-time.
Sam Edge, Writer
Sounds like a colourful time for all (can’t get around my Canadian Spelling of colour)
Sharp Little Pencil
Don’t ever change just because I’m American, Sam. Remember, you have national health care!!! A.
Susan
Nice transfer of the color pallet and the quilting effect–it takes a crowd ….
Hannah Gosselin
Well I gotta be honest I hoped people would stick a little closer to the actual challenge but if this is where your muse needed to be today than I believe we must honor that, too. So happy writing and thank you!
Sharp Little Pencil
Good news is that most folks actually did stick to your spirit of the prompt, although Shay got awfully juicy, as she is wont to do…
Like I said, you know me. That’s why I love Toads… the diversity! Thanks again for a great prompt, Hannah, Amy
Hannah Gosselin
Yes, most did!! It’s all good…just a matter of choice and stretching the muse. I agree the diversity of the Toads is a beautiful thing and it’s my pleasure to try and be a source for inspiration time and again. Thank you Amy for being you…much love to you my friend!
Roger Green
Must admit some of the rhymes made me smile, esp because those are great words like minions and keester
Sharp Little Pencil
Glad it appealed to your palette, Rog!
Mama Zen
I love it, I love it!
grapeling
Cool write, Amy. A good friend of mine is a doc film maker who crafted a doc of the Walker recall entitled We Are Wisconsin (after the movement). Find it at wearewisconsinthefilm dot com, if you’re curious. Same namesake with a different spelling, Amie also hails from WI. Cheers ~ M
http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com
That’s real Amy, copper-bottomed and genuine! Sorry I haven’t been around for a while, but you know what it’s like, you an your still unpacked boxes. I found some in the loft still unpacked from the last move!
Sini Rachel
Well done, Amy. Your interpretation does make us look away from the tulips to actual colors in our struggles.
ellaedge
I love how you find color in all forms of life!
Bravo Amy!
Helen
..’rowdy-sprout color’ ~~~ love that shade, always have.
margaretbednar
Ah, well, a gardens diversity is its beauty (not all need to be unionized – not all should pay dues in my humble opinion (and I’m not a million/billionaire…) but I did think of the tulip fields when I saw the colors in the photo! Tulips are spunky, I think, so you have chosen well. I admire Walker … love the idea of a woman getting an ultrasound if she wants an abortion – being truly informed, educated is always a fantastic idea.
I enjoy your passion, your honesty, and believe we have much more in common than not. 🙂
Susie Clevenger (@wingsobutterfly)
Great inspiration to turn tulips into activism!!
coalblack
Oh girl, you are unstoppable!
kaykuala
Very noble indeed Amelita! You’ve taken a cause that desperately lacks the support it deserves.Just imagine no homes to go back to.Pitiful! Nicely Ma;am! Keep the good flag flying!
Hank
kaykuala
1. Oops! Amelita! The above is meant for ‘Ginger’ I’ve already done a copy and paste to Ginger!
2. The correct one for ‘True Colors’ is below:
For me, color has a voice,
and the more “colorful,”
the more effective.
Agreed! What it would be like if life is all black & white. It will be bland and uninteresting. Colors make all the difference. Colors in pics and on canvas would be the ultimate. There for the whole world to see and appreciate.Tulips have that advantage and that pull.There was a desperate attempt even of creating a ‘black tulip’ before. So far it has not been successful! Brilliant Amelita!
Hank