Seeing Red

the first time she saw red
she was a slow dancer
in a ravaged land
they called her visionary
and named her after their dreams

the second time she saw red
they slandered her a firebrand
who just happened to be caught
in a twisted arabesque
on the ruddy clay

the last time she saw red
her lacerated reflection
was strangled by a tangled rope
she wielded hoops on tiptoe then
tumbled gratefully into the abyss

the light that day was magnificent