Rainbow
1. Red
Woman’s blood
Pulled by the moon
Monthly marking
My young
Coming of age.
And apples
~
2. Orange
Mosaic of beech leaves
Paving the way
Through waving mystery
Of leaning tree majesty.
And clementines
~
3. Yellow
Glittering mica
Sparkled river sand
Of the Cosi
Flooding out
To the Great Ganges
Where buffalo drink.
And peaches in Provence
~
4. Green
Monsoon mangoes
Papayas and palms
Gin bottles
Of ‘nimbu pani’
Slaking thirst
With lime water
~
5. Blue
Chlorinated
Rectangular gem
Of cooling dream place
Diving through bubbles
With streaming hair
Dripping and tingling
Running through storm drains
~
6. Indigo
Wrangler denim
Seeping dye
Onto taut thighs
Cycling round
Askham Bryan
~
7. Violet
Sharp mountain skies
Just before sunrise
Plumes of thin cloud
On the highest
Of all peaks.
Wrapped in scratchy yak
Blankets
~
Rainbow
From seven decades
Remembered in oil
And wax
With squeegee
And blade
~~~
Love that, so vivid x