Red Is

Red is the burn of a hot sunny day

In the middle of July,

The heat that makes sweat stick to your skin,

The relief as you walk into the cold AC.

Red is the fiery taste of Hot Cheetos,

That leaves your tongue tingling and sore.

Your fingers turn bright red,

Like a warning that you’ve gone too far.

Red is the anger inside me.

Waiting to explode like a volcano.

School starts in five minutes,

But I’m stuck in slow-moving traffic.

The sound of the horns,

The frustration building with every second,

When then the bell rings, I burst.

Red is the love in my mom’s hug,

A soft warmth that wraps around me,

It’s the kind of comfort that makes everything feel okay,

It’s heat, it’s spice, it’s love.

Red is not just a color, it's everything

--Aryan D., 9th-12th Grade