The Synaesthete's Garden in Winter

How can we improve the color grey?

The still-footed serpent in twigs
Could imagine it apple red
With a switch of the "e" to an "a,"

But he doesn't think he could sell it
To anyone in the ash woods
Wandering by dully today.
He curls his paws. Well, to hell with it,

There are some woods one never escapes,
Not even by instigating
Other inhabitants' jail breaks,
Not even when one's willing to scrape

Into eternity belly first,
Vestigial hip tips tucked away.
Are burning deserts so much worse?
How can we improve the color grey?