A Natural History of the Color Red

1.

The search for red pigment was like biting
into a pie that you know is too hot: you do it
anyway, and fast, and with such vigor.

2.

In 1785, Captain Parker ate several of The Fruit, laced
with biting insects, of which he still did eat, and wrote,
“(My] lips were deeply tinged and filled with small prickles.”

3.

Each earlobey plate of cacti holds the wee white insect—
the cochineal—chock-a-block with dark staining juice in its belly.

4.

Captain Neilson sailed into Calcutta in 1795 with banners
and boom, announcing he had boxes and boxes
of cochineal (stolen from the Portuguese).
When his men snapped open the boxes for all
the merchants to see, every bug was crisped
into an asterisk, save for three—their waxy filament
and wings busted and bent like wire hangers.

But they could still eat.

5.

Munch-munch, munch-munch.
Chibber, chibber, chew.

6.

As curious as a hill sloped with cinnabar—
you were the Apple of My Eye, My Shiny Scarab,
My Deviled Egg. But you've abandoned my ship,
ground my axe, added fuel to my fire.
You cost me an arm and a leg.

You are an elephant of elements.

7.

The insect's only market demand today
is to make our pie fillings look more cherry,
make hunks of ham look more hammy—
and make us look always flushed—
but we blush, even when we are alone.