BLACK and RED

not in tubes but on my canvas

in the studio I see black crows

among a blast of poppies

mars black and cadmium red

better than grey plastic and pink elephants

used milk jugs and lipstick

coal in a hot fire

that glowed while I slept

I have no coal to paint

just my eyes to see them

fully focussed in the light

black crows on the fence

staring at the red poppy seeds

then the bored crows fly off

the poppies stand up straight

waving their red flags