Forever Red
written by: Jennifer Christiansen
@JChristiansen13
Not brown;
Not burgundy;
Not orange;
Red.
The shade of a fox –
A splash of titian on an Autumn trail –
Beneath the setting gouache-sun.
The hue of a penny,
Erupting copper from a piggy bank,
Landing heads-up on sidewalk.
A Red so steadfast in the country of my ancestors,
Slainte! Erin go bragh!
But now so hard to find,
Beneath the hands of a beautician with a flask of dye.
Once matching my young niece’s, my vibrant strands begin to fade,
Dispersed with Time’s unwelcome grey.
A copperhead won’t dwindle to lackluster ash,
A flame won’t don a dreary cloak to hide its flash.
Fire burns brightly ‘till its final act,
And so shall I – a fierce Red lioness,
With her identity intact.
Jennifer Christiansen, a writer and school librarian, lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and two miniature schnauzers. She is an animal advocate, traveler, bibliophile, and lover of all things dark and romantic.
Latest posts by Jennifer Christiansen (see all)
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