Red Apologia

by Linda Buckmaster

Red Apologia
 After “Apologia,” a painting by Harold Grade

First, the mouth —
red.
Stretch red
wild red
both guns blazing red
upper lip, lower lip
snarl red
shadow red
shame red
mouth first red.
Some talk
some voice
some speech
some big mouth
twisted lip red
belch red
fart red
caught in the back seat red
stain on the couch red
bold-faced lie red
and even worse — the truth red.
Shout red
bitch red
face red
foot in the mouth red
mouth mouth mouth and
so bad I don’t give a goddamn red
I’m sorry