Red

Photo by Christine Donnier-Valentin

All my life, red, I've loved you best of the colors.You're my fiery, take-charge nature; Dorothy's Technicolor bed of poppies and her sequined slippers, too; Kool-Aid mustaches; the covers on The Church Hymnal and passed-down Famous Fairy Tales; Raggedy Ann's yarn hair and secret heart; Scott High and Maryville College; the lessons of my teachers' pens; stripes on my flag; my baby girls' winter coats; Santa Claus's suit and a rose--stashed by my beloved--in a tree.

You're the passion of every being, especially that of He who died to set everyone free.