RED LIPS:

Mama told me, on the day I came to earth,

That I had pink rosebuds, upon my lips at birth,

As child, soft lips smudged with juice of cherries,

Daubed, traced & licked, with furtive stolen berries.

 

As free young maiden, lips bruised mauve by kisses,

Lip-printed page to lovers, in steamy love-lorn missives,

Leaving stain upon the glass, of red & un-drunk wine,

And upon memory´s lace hanky, of past & long lost time.

 

My lips forever painted, always & on every single day,

And I´ll not let anybody ever see me, in any other way,

In ruby, wine, cerise, or in crimson of the scarlet hussy,

In any red that´s bright, I don´t care, I´m never ever fussy.

 

Please promise me when I´m dying, just before I´m dead,

That you with your old fingers, will paint my lips bright red,

So I may meet my Maker, with lips well painted cherried,

Promise me my dear, to red-paint my lips, long before I´m buried.