Colour lies in the mind,
not in objects in the world.
The philosophers said it’s true.
Even children wonder if others
see what they see when they ponder
all the universe lying in their view.
As we grow, we debate inverted spectra
and possible mass hallucinations
creating discord and hullabaloo.
We want to see phenomena just as
God sees reality,
and we
puzzle every ambiguous hue.
Finally, we content ourselves
To accept things as they appear,
but
keep imagining the missing shade of blue.*
*We can’t have ideas without impressions, said Hume,
before saying we could mentally create a new kind of blue.