Woman In The Red Dress
By Joe Kidd
there is a road that leads to the horizon
a road to nowhere
nothing there but the moon in her glory
it leads in all directions
footprints small and footprints large
traverse the sand and the stones below
if you find yourself upon this highway
you will see a shadow among the crowd
upon this winding thoroughfare
an ancient trail of sorrow and fear
a bitter journey soaked in tears
as rain, the sweetness of the fruit
fallen from trees uprooted and bare
invisible now, the faceless course
dear Luna cast a reflection down
to mark the passage back to the home
the wolf, the crow, the wind, are calling
sent forth from where we baked the bread
and beaded children danced the circle
great horned brother fed a nation
slow was the walk, the talk, the prayer
humming, chanting, tongues on fire
holding the whip and the blade behind them
the thunder roared from a distant past
ancestors rose as the earth delivered
she pushed and quaked but lost the child
a meal for the vultures in a dark parade
one by one each soul took flight
nothing new this side of heaven
and if not heaven then where
does the drama end and begin anew
a garment thread of soft design
dare not to sleep, to call the spirits
those who open an eye to see
a sunrise glows but for a moment
then descends upon the burning soil
on her knees the woman crawls
the miles from birth to reach at last
in line to quench the thirst for freedom
the handle of the knife is warm
the candle cold as ice
heavy smoke drops to the ground
the signal lost before the storm
beneath the dress the sheath is hidden
blue and red creates the violet
that blooms beyond this gravity
“just keep marching” screamed the devil
now turn to slit the throat of truth
remove tonight this heavy regalia
bathe in the pool of creativity
the dress now hangs upon a wire
history to judge the dying actor
trail of misery, song of defiance
this poem, a portal, an entry door
to guard the infant of the mother
who wore the flag around her shoulders
gone is the love, the blood, the bones
the hair, the eye, the beating heart
in a world of pain all that is left
the dream of the woman
in the red dress
Joe Kidd, author of The Invisible Waterhole and Digging Underground: Portrait of a Beat Poet Laureate, is the Michigan Beat Poet Laureate Emeritus 2022-2024. He has served as a cultural director, ambassador of peace, and Official Poet of Government of Birland (North Africa). He has received an honorary doctorate and was a 2025 Pushcart Prize nominee. Joe is a member of National & International Beat Poet Foundation, 100K Poets For Change, Poets Against Racism & Hate USA, International Singer/Songwriter Association, and Michigan Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He has toured in 10 European countries, Mexico, and Jamaica and 36 states in the USA.
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