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Rouge de Guerre
“There is a shade of red for every woman.”
--Audrey Hepburn.
I’m kind of a big shot
in the color spectrum,
part of the trinity of
primary colors--hand
in hand with yellow and blue.
I’m kind of the Gemini in the group,
symbolizing everything from
l’amour to la guerre.
I am the vigorous hue
at the end of the visible light spectrum.
I have a brilliantly mantled clan
of cousins, from yelllow-tinged
scarlet and vermillion to blueish-
red crimson, or pinkish-blue violet,
to pale petal pink to deep red burgundy,
or dusky rubies and weather-worn brick,
from almost black currant to apple and
berry jams.
All mammals can see me,
but dogs and cattle can not.
They only see yellow & blue.
I seem gray to them.
Yes, that means a bull can’t see
red--he is just irritated by the
movement of the cape.
Most folks just call me Red,
but I vastly prefer Rojo.
My esthetic side leads to
love, passion, lust, shame,
embarrassment and orgasm.
My malevolent side leads to
conflict, combat, war, danger
and Satan.
From day one to wound one
I have been associated with blood,
secondary to oxygenated hemoglobin.
Christ, wines and divers religions
have made me a popular
cornerstone.
I am proud to be wedding dresses
in India, and flags in Japan and China,
flapping in every language. I remember
well a 1,000 B.C. when prehistoric men
mixed me from ochre for their cave art.
I am a power color.
Extroverts adore me.
From power ties (except for Trump’s)
to sleek sports cars,
I will get your attention.
I can make you hungry or horny,
can designate you as saint or sinner,
and accompany Cardinals
as feathered breasts
and Vatican robes.
Yellow and Blue are OK,
like unleavened bread is OK,
but when it comes to energy and power--
I’m your Guy.
Glenn Buttkus
Posted over at d'Verse Poet's Pub
14 comments:
Very good! I like how thoroughly you examined this color, even through the eyes of other animals. Suggestion: change "le guerre" to "la guerre" -- that was a little jarring to my French-speaking self. :)
Bloody wonderful roller coaster journey through rojo bro. You hit every crest and drop and rocketed us around a huge curve of facts — wrll written mu friend!
Loved the details and info. You encompassed it all...or I should say RED did. He's kind of an arrogant fellow, but he owns it.
You did red up right, Glenn.
rojo has the mojo
Red definitely has its own agenda and a powerful voice, which you’ve explored so thoroughly in this poem, Glenn. It does indeed symbolise everything from ‘l’amour to la guerre’, depending on your culture. ‘Vigorous hue’ is a great way to describe red, with so many shades. I love the stanza about how animals see red.
Very cleverly written, Glenn.
I loved this:
.Most folks just call me Red,
but I vastly prefer Rojo.
It made me chuckle.
Yours,
David
Oh yes, Red is all of those things! A true extrovert colour explored in all its multifaceted glory. It would be great to hear you read this :-)
Hilarious! Well done. Red never had a better name.
Now this deserves a standing ovation! What a "red" definition! I especially love; "I have a brilliantly mantled clan of cousins, from yelllow-tinged scarlet and vermilion to blueish- red crimson, or pinkish-blue violet.." you bring the colour to life in this poem.๐๐
I love your poem Glenn! Red is outstanding. It is at the heart of all the is, from blood to lava flows! Well done!
Red is so much... the love and the blushing from rage... so many things, but to me, it always go back the blood...
A "full spectrum," or gauntlet, of color in just one.
I love this detailed personification of Red!
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