Red

What is red?

Red is a color
that never gets duller
than bricks.
Red is a color
that really ticks.  

Red as strawberries
sitting in a patch.
Red as a ball
you have to catch.  
Some people’s hair is red
sitting on their head.
Sometimes the sky is red at night.
Blood is red.
Red is a color that gives a fright.  

What is red?  

~ Mk Michaels, 1972

 

The Battle to Heal

A part of me has been blow away

I lie in the battlefield

Explosions sounding round my head.

I’ve lost a lot of blood and…

I may not make it

 

What hit me anyway?

I wasn’t paying attention.

Did you see?

Do you see the part of me missing?

 

Mirrored in your face,

I see how awful I must look.

Mangled, mutilated

You are frightened by what you see

and your fear frightens me

I must be hit badly

 

Call the doctor, the priest

my mother…

For if I do not survive

I want not to be alone on this battlefield.

 

~ Mk Michaels, 1991

 

Innocence Lost

In this our world,
innocence is bruised, fondled
destroyed.
In the face of trust and belief
Toads grunt and grasp and thrust.

In this our world,

There are silence, secrets
shame.
Our children are taken
Locked away by the patriarchy

In this our world,

we are lied to, if we believe
and threatened if we do not
Shhh…don’t tell – it didn’t happen.
If you tell, you will die.

In this our world,

I told…..

and, it seems, I am dying.

 

~ Mk Michaels, 1991