Red Roofs, Marc Chagall, 1954
Visions in Red
In the night of my many sighs
I see the roofs of our village
rushing with red
I sit along the way
pretending not
to see my wedding day
this way
I am both in my own view
but along the way as well
my bouquet in hand
but I smell nothing
though the taste of copper
is strong in the air
like I'm sucking on coins
my groom stands over us all
and ladles the blood of every Passover
on us all - even the Jew we call the Christ
I am clothed and yet nakedly vulnerable
before my groom, before God,
before the whole of the town
Michael A. Wells
Mag 113
6 comments:
this is really good...great opening line...and nice progression too into the wedding and the vulnerability felt in that moment as well...
"I smell nothing
though the taste of copper
is strong in the air,,,"
I like the way you foreshadowed the ladles of the blood of Passover with this coppery taste.
=)
Red is such an emotionally charged color. Your poem has given a voice to a time of transitions, weddings, where insecurities feel very intimidating. I love that you are so tuned in to the vulnerability. Thank you for sharing this, Michael.
Powerful and evocative...I especially like the coin-sucking copper taste...
Very well done, Michael.
Perhaps it's only me, but the taste of copper and reference to sucking on coins harkens to mind the ancient form of torture practiced by the Romans when they would place a heated coin in the mouth of their captives--perhaps there was a bit of a feeling of uncertainty whether this wedding was of choice?
A powerful write Michael! :-)
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