In My Next Life Poem by Lois Read

I am red, surrounded by purple
color my life, my breath
I eat it, drink it, wallow in it

and I will return one day
as red geranium
survivor of a flower
maintenance-free
bravely blooming on and on.l
Lavender soldiers will surround me
wrap me in a blanket
of sweet scent.

I will bloom
in the humblest of gardens
planted in tin cans
hung on adobe walls
but also
in hand-painted talevera
holding my own with more exotic blooms.

I will happen also in white
and apricot, and stripes
but my real self, my true self
will be red
glorious glorious red.