Red As Seen by a Blind Man: an original poem

Every once in a while it’s important to freeze for a moment and take a good look at the world around us. This poem stemmed from the ever theoretical question, ‘how can we explain something to someone who has no knowledge of it?’ Explaining red to a blind man is the common paradox. Explaining something that can only be known. But I would argue that red is merely a word, the meaning behind it is what makes something important. Have a read and comment what you guys think 🙂

Hello said the first man
To a blind man beside him
How are you the blind man replied
Holding his white cane thin

I’m quite well
The young man replied
But the sky seems so sad today
And I’m not sure why

Is rain coming?
The blind man questioned
Are the clouds rolling in?
Is it thunder that threatens?

No not at all
The man quickly said
The sky is just angry
The sky is just red.

The sun that is setting
Streaks across the sky
Reminds me of war
A shrill battle cry.

Don’t tell me of red
The man said with a smile
Show me of red
I’ll be here for a while.

So the man breathed deep
Leaned back against the wood
Thought of red memories
To share if he could.

The blind man looked at him
And the other man could almost swear
That he was looking right into his mind
And at the thoughts that were living there.

The man sighed again
And broke the eye contact
So he could begin to share
What he knew to be fact.

Red is of war
Innocent blood spilled
Lives that I have taken
Against my will.

For this pathetic country
The sacrifices that I’ve made
When they do nothing in return
But give me a wave.

The wave of dismissal
A red shadow
Silhouette of the sun
Released from what I owe.

My debts my burdens
All come crashing down
It leaves my ears ringing
All the red sound.

Red is the colour
You see before dark
When everyone’s gone
When the contrast is stark.

When the difference is drawn
Like a line in the warm sand
Between them and us
Determining kind or cruel hand.

Red is the colour
Of menacing flame
That reaches to you
Your life to claim.

Red is danger
Do turn back
Red is warning
Of attack.

So run from red
While you still can
I’ll even help you
Here’s my hand.

We’ll get you home
Safe from the red
Away from outside
Here instead.

Hello there
A third voice broke through
I couldn’t help but notice
And wanted to say something too.

For I see red differently
Not quite the same
For me red is joyful
And definitely not a pain.

The sky is quite beautiful
And anguished tonight
Yearning for lost love
A tragic sight.

Red is the colour
Of that ping you hear
When a friend is calling you
When a friend is near.

Red is the colour of life
That fades when we leave
It is what keeps us going
It is what I will grieve

When it too has faded
From my own cheeks
The warmth of words forgotten
That I now speak.

Well yes red is the colour of flame
Dancing in coals of fire
Tongues licking embers
Burning with desire.

Perhaps red is danger
But it also holds chance
To participate in life’s
Intricate and complex dance.

Red is the colour of love
The cherry lips of a lover
It’s the feeling you get inside
When you’re a good kind of smothered.

Held in a hug
You wish would never end
Held close when needed most
By brother or by friend.

Red is the colour of excitement
Of adventure
When things seem fun
But certainly unsure.

It’s the taste of strawberries
Fresh from the field
The reaping of reward
Of one’s yield.

Yes red brings death
But it also brings life
And only the limit of time
Can bring meaning to this life of mine.

So yes, that is red
I know this to be true
For I’ve lived my whole life
Knowing this through and through.

The blind man just stared
Stared for a while
He thought for a moment
Then started to smile.

His smile grew wider
Bigger than most
His insightful unseeing eyes
Glanced at the two both.

Both so different
Yet so the same
Each one with a story
A different pain.

So as this blind man walked
Home with his two friends
He thought to himself
What a wonderful end.

How does difference bring us together
Though it’s often seen as bad
When there’s so much to be gained
From different perspectives had.

[Featured image source]