Shades of Scarlet

Hey guys... this is a poem I wrote for English class. We had to write one for the two year anniversary of 9/11. Mine's about how I was eating an apple when I heard the news that day.

Just to clarify, I hadn't been in school because my district was on a teacher strike. That's what that line about waiting for 'normalcy to return' is in there.

Shades of Scarlet
By Dani C.

Where were you?
(it’s all I seem to hear these days.)
What were you doing?
(do you remember?)
I remember.
         I remember.

I remember red. I remember a shining red, its color slightly dimmed against the soft peach of flesh.
I remember the sweetness on my tongue, the first to explore my taste buds on that late summer morning.
Red, then pale yellow. Back to crimson red.
Sweetness, juice, happiness, peace.

(Ironic, isn’t it?)

I wasn’t in school. It was a Tuesday. I sat there, and I watched. Watched for a sign of normalcy returning, routine returning, busses and pencils and essays returning.
Normalcy.

That’s what Normalcy I wanted back then. Just minutes before.

Back to yellow, and suddenly the screen flickered. An image. Another.
Another.
         Another.
And I’m confused. I don’t understand. I can’t comprehend.

(WhatisthisWhoisthisHowisthisand WHY)
Why. Why? Why?

Suddenly, the sweet taste turned sour and bitter in my mouth. The yellow now tinted with red not there before. (I think I bit my tongue.)
((Doesn’t matter. Not anymore.))

I looked at the red. Shiny crimson red. Crimson red like blood. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. As I sit and try to absorb. But I can’t. I never could.
And the crunch doesn’t remind me of peace anymore. No, not anymore. RedandYellow... flames...flames.
                                                                               Not anymore.

My tongue hurt from the bite later on. After. Always a before and an after. It hurt, but it healed. As did we all. A scab slowly forming to shield from the pain, slowly but forming just the same.

And we strengthen. Every day, still. And we recover, but we never forget. Never. (Ever.)

Where were you?
(it’s all I seem to hear these days.)
What were you doing?
(do you remember?)
I remember.
         I remember.

I’ll always remember...
         An apple.