Scarlet Ode
by Gwynne Garfinkle
My garden has thorns
And wears the color of rage
Splash of satiety
Song of fruition
A woman of letters
In scarlet
My hair is like the snake's
Flicking tongue
Color of the ripe apple
With its know-it-all juice
The world is blood-bright
It flows with a lilt
My meat and drink
My utter lack of guilt