Red river exploding round the boats, <br />As red as the sunset expanding, <br />Or the blowhole of a dying dolphin, <br />The sanguine across my porch, <br />When I am inside and wounded, <br />Sick unto death <br />Of the dreariness of pallid color; <br />And red is the pounding of my forlorn heart- <br />Stay away! <br />Come near to me and I promise I shall make you red <br />As well. <br /> <br />As the audience gapes upon the flourish <br />Of a swordfight, <br />Where the pure white snow will never fall <br />Upon the frozen beard of the antihero <br />And, more than all, <br />I will not drop down ever again, <br />Because of the yearning for freedom from <br />Red.<br /><br />Stan Petrovich<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/gladiator-carmine/
