Seduction In Red

by Lesléa Newman

Like six-inch red heels on a Hollywood starlet

Like glistening strawberries baked in a tart

Like elegant nails painted this side of scarlet

Like two strands of rubies worn close to the heart

Like a crystal glass full of expensive red wine

Like a cherry convertible bought on a dare

Like sun-ripe tomatoes too plump for the vine

Like freshly washed shoulder-tossed smooth auburn hair

Like the blush of a bride as she walks down the aisle

Like a bracelet of garnets clasped onto a wrist

Like the lips of a lover curved up in a smile

Like two tender nipples right after they’re kissed

Like a crimson silk slip tossed aside in the night

Like that first apple Eve held for Adam to bite

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“Seduction in Red” copyright ©2018 Lesléa Newman is from Lovely (Headmistress Press, Sequim, WA). Here is a book trailer for Lovely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh27-KoGS84.

Lesléa Newman is a poet, fiction writer, essayist, children’s book writer and anthologist whose 70 books include the poetry collections, Still Life with Buddy, Nobody’s Mother, Signs of Love, and October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard (novel-in-verse) which received a Stonewall Honor from the American Library Association. Ms. Newman’s literary awards include poetry fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Artists Foundation; the Burning Bush Poetry Prize; and second place runner-up in the Solstice Literary Journal poetry competition. From 2008-2010 she served as the poet laureate of Northampton, Massachusetts. Currently she is a faculty member of Spalding University’s low-residency MFA in Writing program. A recent poetry collection, I Carry My Mother, received the 2016 Golden Crown Literary Society Poetry Award and was named a “Must-Read” title by the Massachusetts Center for the Book. Her latest book is Lovely (Headmistress Press, Sequim, WA).