Reddening

you got a sunburn on 
the first day of grade school. 
strawberry juice ran down 
our sticky fingers, 
our ruby eyes blindfolded. 
we were endless then. 

you traveled to scarlet, rocky mountains
the summer before middle school. 
velvet sails of ships went with you,
leaving only rugged waves
and the stems of roses behind. 

you gave me red m&ms
on the first day of high school. 
we watched vermilion sunrises
and mushrooms grow
as you braided holly
into my hair. 
we only worried about 
our bleeding pens—
our hearts were far enough away.