The Real Green

I'm glad the sky is painted blue

And the earth is painted green,

With such a lot of nice fresh air 

All sandwiched in between.

Author Unknown

The Real Green

By Elece Hollis

Pale green of first leaves in springtime,

Green of the forest cool and deep?

 Green with envy, green as grass?

I can't let the question pass.

What is the real––realest real––the really, realest green?

Could it be the green of money,

The yellow-green side of a sycamore leaf,

Or the rind of a lime or the juice between?
 A holly leaf or a coffee bean? 

What is the real––realest real––the really, realest green?

Is it the green of a iris stem,

The shade of a dragonfly's wing?

The green of fir tree––the pines

The green of olives––or muscadines?

What is the real––realest real––the really, realest green?

Could it be an apple, pear, or string bean

 Or the root of a majestic live oak–– unseen

Or the gray-green of  moss swaying in the breeze 
Is it the green of holly leaves?

What is real––realest real––the really, realest green?