Red Language
Sanaa -
January 14, 2021
PoetryPresent-Day Poems

The wind in its monochrome musings is no longer indifferent,
it’s curious
to the effect that cherry nearly neon pink
that appear in clusters are offered reinforcements
in exchange for answers—
exactly how does one grasp something as fleeting as whispers?
If I could hear the words that take form in the wild storm
of your being,
believe me I’d reciprocate by using red language;
vernacular, if I am to be direct—I place my faith entirely upon detail
as I choose to side with weighty rather than whim,
this vinaigrette dressing of desire would disband all doubt,
together with crumbled blue cheese,
chives, lettuce, spinach, halved strawberries
and candied pecans,              
its subtlety alone would ignite emotion otherwise lost in translation,
consuming the heart, the mind, the body and soul
with forbidden knowledge—
I imagine a blush as perfect as early black kissing your skin.
The wind holding its breath is the sole witness,
forevermore
in anticipation even though she knows it begins and ends
within herself;
do we ever truly comprehend?

 

 

 

Photo credits: Pinterest

Grace hosts at dVerse and invites us to utilize personification,
imagery or both. Come join us! 💝

This poem is inspired by the title of Heid E. Erdrich’s poetic
masterpiece ‘Red Language.’

Posted for MTB: Personification and Imagery @ dVerse Poets Pub

42 Responses

  1. Bjorn Rudberg says:
    January 15, 2021 at 4:10 am

    Oh… you made me hungry with that salad… I need to expand my cooking into a blue cheese domain.

    Reply
  2. Grace says:
    January 15, 2021 at 4:11 am

    Gorgeous use of color, red stands out for me and the appeal to the taste buds (cheese, pecans). The wind holding its breath, is the silent witness to one’s musings & thoughts of forbidden language. Fantastic passionate line here:
    believe me I’d reciprocate by using red language;

    Reply
  3. Ingrid says:
    January 15, 2021 at 4:17 am

    I always admire your use of imagery, Sanaa, and this poem is a feast for the senses ‘blue cheese,
    chives, lettuce, spinach, halved strawberries
    and candied pecans, ‘ – I can taste them all, and beneath all these sensations there is great emotional depth.

    Reply
  4. Kim M. Russell says:
    January 15, 2021 at 4:17 am

    You made excellent use of colour in this poem, Sanaa, from the wind’s ‘monochrome musings’ (great ‘mm’ alliteration here) to the various shades of red. The salad made my mouth water!

    Reply
  5. Jane Dougherty says:
    January 15, 2021 at 5:19 am

    I like that idea of language being red, and you showed how it could be.

    Reply
  6. msjadeli says:
    January 15, 2021 at 5:49 am

    So many appetizers leading to (hopefully) the entree.

    Reply
  7. Glenn Buttkus says:
    January 15, 2021 at 6:03 am

    I read this as metaphor, as a love song/poem. Passion and taste buds are forever linked. I always have been attracted to women who eat and cook and kiss with gusto.

    Reply
  8. calmkate says:
    January 15, 2021 at 6:14 am

    lol you have ignited so many senses, taste and colour! Alluding to deeper sensual matters, it’s a tantalising treat ..

    Reply
  9. Ron. Lavalette says:
    January 15, 2021 at 6:56 am

    I’ll simply echo all of the above comments Sanaa, and add my admiration for the wind, holding its breath.
    Super.

    Reply
  10. Beverly Crawford says:
    January 15, 2021 at 7:04 am

    This was like a third person speaking for the wind, and your foray into red left me with a great desire for a salad! Apparently I wasn’t the only one. Well done.

    Reply
  11. Hank Kaykuala says:
    January 15, 2021 at 8:43 am

    in anticipation even though she knows it begins and ends
    within herself;
    do we ever truly comprehend?

    Very good close, Sanaa and a very good question. Do we! One often gets distracted, that’s why!

    Hank

    Reply
  12. Eugenia says:
    January 15, 2021 at 8:58 am

    Stunning use of imagery drawing the reader into a delicious antipasti.

    Reply
  13. Christine Bolton says:
    January 15, 2021 at 8:58 am

    Lovely Sanaa. I too, like Glenn, read it as a love metaphor. Either way, it was stunning 💕🥰

    Reply
  14. Kerfe says:
    January 15, 2021 at 10:50 am

    I imagine the wind knows quite a bit more than she lets on…I like the meal you’ve gathered for her here.

    Reply
  15. Dwight L. Roth says:
    January 15, 2021 at 12:03 pm

    Beautifully done Sanaa! I found these lines intriguing…
    exactly how does one grasp something as fleeting as whispers?

    and… If I could hear the words that take form in the wild storm
    of your being…

    Reply
  16. Sarah Connor says:
    January 15, 2021 at 5:19 pm

    I like the shift from monochrome to red, and your use of detailing. The appeal to all the senses.

    Reply
  17. ben Alexander says:
    January 15, 2021 at 8:51 pm

    Sanaa, this poem is truly artful.

    do we ever truly comprehend?

    I have to say that your poem leaves me somewhat feeling that I am simply not clever enough to comprehend 😉

    Shabbat Shalom,
    David

    Reply
  18. Alexandra (Xan) says:
    January 16, 2021 at 2:44 am

    Sight, touch, taste, sound

    A sensual sonnet

    Reply
  19. Helen Dehner says:
    January 16, 2021 at 6:44 am

    This is a luscious poem …. hoping you saved a few candied pecans and strawberries for me!

    Reply
  20. Jim Feeney says:
    January 16, 2021 at 8:07 am

    I like the swirling rhythm, the tumble and the colour of this, Sanaa, great stuff, Jim

    Reply
  21. Prats says:
    January 20, 2021 at 2:34 am

    This is such a gorgeous poem 🙂 Love the imagery in this..

    Reply

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