deepundergroundpoetry.com
A blast from my past
I wrote this poem in about 1987 for a school assignment. It isn't spectacular, but I had been writing poetry for a little while at that point and was pretty happy with this one. Somehow, it got shared with someone who (in hindsight) was a complete asshole on that particular day. My poem and I were ridiculed and I took it to heart. It has taken me almost 30 years to get over it and start sharing my writings again - at least with all you kind, anonymous people here at DU. Isn't it crazy, how sensitive we can be?? I'm glad to say I think my skin is thicker now, so I promise I won't be deterred by any honest critique you might give. :) Anyway, here it is, as written by the teenage me.
Red.
It is the violent color of war –
of bloodshed, suicide, anger – death.
It is the weeping eyes of sorrow and hatred.
Yet, it is the red rose of love,
the happiness of autumn leaves
and the peace of the sky at sunset.
Red is not a color of trivial ideas.
Red is the contradictory color of strong, true feelings.
Published 20th Jan 2016
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
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20th Jan 2016 8:40pm
That's true never really thought about the different depictions of red...a color that have love but still conceive hate...great observation
21st Jan 2016 8:11am
It's around the time I wrote this that my answer to the "favorite colour" question changed to red ( from green, I think, which is more serene). I admire red's intensity & boldness....I figure if red were a person, it wouldn't do anything halfway - brilliant beauties and violent mistakes, all with intense conviction!
Thanks for the read and the comment. :)
Thanks for the read and the comment. :)
Anonymous
21st Jan 2016 6:19am
It's incredible how deep children, tweens and young adults can be. But then, they see the world, and colours with untainted eyes, so I guess not too hard to understand.
It's incredibly sad how some people in their younger days get ridiculed for their poetry when in fact those are thee ones who deserve praise. They are the dreamers and without the dreamers, what would the rest of the world have to read and dream about? There would be no stories, no romance, no poems to share, no examples to follow of how to turn affection into words on paper...
I was lucky. Luckier than most poets in their school days. Very misunderstood an outsider and very lonely, but when it came to poetry... everyone of my classmates were hanging onto my words and coming to me for help on assignments. So, the teenage me, is happy that the teenage you continued writing and didn't stop because of one asshole. Teenage me, happens to like your poem, and remembers with fond memories, watching autumn leaves turn red.
It's incredibly sad how some people in their younger days get ridiculed for their poetry when in fact those are thee ones who deserve praise. They are the dreamers and without the dreamers, what would the rest of the world have to read and dream about? There would be no stories, no romance, no poems to share, no examples to follow of how to turn affection into words on paper...
I was lucky. Luckier than most poets in their school days. Very misunderstood an outsider and very lonely, but when it came to poetry... everyone of my classmates were hanging onto my words and coming to me for help on assignments. So, the teenage me, is happy that the teenage you continued writing and didn't stop because of one asshole. Teenage me, happens to like your poem, and remembers with fond memories, watching autumn leaves turn red.
21st Jan 2016 8:16am
I'm glad your teen writing experiences were more positive than mine. Without much encouragement to continue, I put writing on the shelf for many years as I pursued a career of a slightly more scientific nature. Just re-learning how to flex those muscles now....and wondering how I've done without for so many years!
Teenage me thanks you for the support....I like to think we would have gotten along well. :)
Teenage me thanks you for the support....I like to think we would have gotten along well. :)
