Grenadine Memories

-Anshudha Garimella

I have known Red to be the embodiment of-

All things that come out of passion

Love, Lust, Desire, Rage

It is not just my blood that is red

But my dreams and emotions too

The deeper I feel the deeper the red becomes

It is all Red

Love, desire, passion, rage

And as light turns to night

The red gets darker and darker

My days start with a warm red glow the faintest red the blush of dawn

Soft to the touch, soft light

Then the day turns bright and the roses look more vibrant under the golden sun

As the day starts to wither on the vine

The sky takes a grenadine shine

The red gets darker and darker until it ends up in aging wine

          I have grenadine memories tonight

All the moments I cherish are deep and sweet

Rich and sensual

As I remember the sunlit summer

The sun-kissed poems and the taste of summer sunshine

I breathe in grenadine memories

My dreams look like sunshine

my memories too

No summer withers on the vine

If I can keep it alive in my mind

Nothing is elusive if you don’t chase it

If I accept love and happiness to be mine

Instead of chasing it tonight

No grenadine beauty will elude me come morning light.