I walked the edge of the newborn dawn
That wakened the world with fire
And I stood on the brink of the setting sun
In front of the world’s desire
And I realized that this is a world of blood
Because red is the only color.
And I realized that red is the only color
In torches of silence at dawn
In cardinal sunsets and roses of blood
And wine-kissed lips in the fire
In the sacrifice and the one desire
When the eyes of the dragon burn like the sun.
The morning is washed with the bleeding sun
Because red is the only color
In the burning gold of death’s desire
And the blazing passion of dawn
And the crimson jewels of the frozen fire
Drenched in a poppies’ blood.
The streets that ran red with the lover’s blood
The sacrifice of the sun
Because of the tree of eternal fire
Because red is the only color
The ultimate lie on the ultimate dawn
And the apple of all desire.
The ones who were caught in the one desire
Were slain in the city of blood
For the thing that brings the wind of dawn
Is known as the setting sun
And they realized that red is the only color
When they turned to face the fire.
The sky sank into a lake of fire burning in tears of desire
And I realized that red is the only color
And the world is made of blood
And I turned my back on the setting sun
And went out to look for dawn.
But the sun went free, and the fire sang
And the blood of the starlight was washed in the rain
And the cursed color of all desire fled from the dying dawn.
This is another haunting poem taught with dramatic language and vigorous descriptions, contrasting color and emotion via apocalyptic literature. Viewing it through a Christian lens, I could help but also see parallels with the story of the Crucifixion: “The streets that ran red with the lover’s blood/The sacrifice of the sun/Because of the tree of eternal fire…” It has extraordinary resonance and power.