Red
Red roses
That I gave her
On our first date.
Ah, she was
So beautiful.
The way the light
Latched onto the red in her hair
And made it shine.
Red, that was her color.
The dress she wore that night
On our honeymoon
After the wedding
Dancing
In that empty cafe
In the islands.
And she smiled
She smiled when she danced
And I smiled because she smiled
And her dress was red.
Red
As the blood in her hankerchief
When she coughed
And she cried
She cried because it hurt
And I cried
I cried because she cried
And because the cloth was so red.
Red
Were the roses by her bedside
As she reached for me, looked for me
When I spoke
And smiled
And she said she loved me and I cried
I cried because she slept
She went to sleep
Even though I brought her roses
Red ones.
Red
Like the roses on her casket
And the ribbons in her hair
And the lipstick on her face
That was in a smile
And I cried
I cried because
I loved her
And she slept
Under the bush
Where the roses grew
Red.
