By Dr. Shahid Iqbal
In the city of red on a red evening with
Head on a red pillow in a red sleep
I had a red dream.
Far at the horizon is the red sky
Where on a red planet dwells a red maid
Who distributes red roses.
From her red eyes along her red cheeks
Trickle red tears that bring red showers
To my green valley.
There red springs sprout from red stones
And wash red babies in the lap of red mothers
Sucking red milk.
From a red shopkeeper for a red school boy
I bought a red toy and found his face
Red with red joy.
In a red rat hole is a red stolen grain
Of a red brave farmer who in his red field
Sows red seeds of hope.
From a red apple tree in the red late autumn
We pick red fruit to sell red sweat
For a red little penny.
Where a red bride rides a red cart driven
By red legs on red roads to catch
The red groom on a red feast.
Where a red teacher teaches red lessons
From a red book and writes red words with
A red chalk on a red black board.
Where a red little son asks his red old father
Walking on a deserted red road
The meaning of red.
Where the red hands weave a red cloth for
A red grave where a red boy has
His red shirt torn by red laws.
Red king rides red drunk horses
With a red sharp sword cuts red little
Throats into red little pieces.
Red is my robe red is my crown
Red be the river to
Sail my red boat.
Red is my bowel red is my rice
Red is the water to quench
My red thirst.
On the red hot day (Judgment Day) on the red
Golden throne the red great God
Will judge the red petition.
Where the red mosque muazin shouts
A red loud azaan on a red loud speaker
And breaks my red slumber.
Red is my shirt red is my prayer
My prayer for the red
To grow into green.