Ring

The dolphins swim in circles,
trapped in their glass ocean.
The colours change around them,
but the creatures are a constant.

When I found it, the ring was orange,
fiery as the setting sun.
If I'm green with envy or tickled pink,
It'll know before I do.

But now it's at home, colours unseen,
because right now, I'm content,
and no object in the world
can tell me otherwise.

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This poem was highly commended for Poetry Object 2013

Judge's notes:
Here’s a difficult question: Are you always the best judge of your feelings, or can other people know
them before you do?
This poem illustrates the puzzle using a mood ring—an object that’s meant to foresee the narrator’s moods. Different feelings are rendered in different colours, making this a poem that consistently uses an extended metaphor.

~ Rachael Briggs, Judge, Poetry Object 2013