Cardinal little king of winter

Cardinal, 
little king of winter,
red of currant, red of coral,
red of algae bloom and floral 
trumpet-bloom and splinter-
wound-bloom red,

little king
of Magisterium,
of cox-comb clustered collagen, 
of spilt Garnacha drop on skin, 
flesh of summer-sun-split plum
on the wing;

Titian’s drapes 
in flight, borne on the wind
that fans the scarlet flames by Thames
as Boudicca, hair bright as gems,
smiles; you, the red of tinned 
roe, of scrapes, 

hardest hue
to hold in glazes, yet 
the earliest to mark the caves 
at Blombos—with each beat, heart craves
your shade, like young wine set
in full view

of sun; fast-
held prince, enchanted by
your dingy mate, little king who
sings in winter, sings through the blue 
mornings, through purple twi-
lights that last 

not as long
as your love; red as beet
juice, red as cherries, poppy-red
and Mars-star red as cuts that bled
just now: blood and joy meet
in your song.