International Day of Peace

Red, revisited

My students are presenting on the flags of their countries.
Each colour is a symbol
Blue is for seas or skies
Green the richness of the earth
Black might be the people or the oil
Gold for wealth- in all its forms
And red.
Red is always blood.

It is the same on my flag.
The widest band is yellow gold.
The middle band is blue.
And at the bottom lies the red
A pool of blood
That often overflows.

What if the red were something else?
The soft hibiscus bloom
or joyous bougainvillea
The dirt that clings to feet
and stains our clothes
The feathers of a hummingbird
or bright macaw
The healthy flush on well fed cheeks
Passion, turned from anger into love
The sky at sunset, reflected in a lake.