A Brief History of Blood

by Teresa White
Wild Poetry Forum
First Place, October 2016
Judged by Richard Krawiec


Blood on the marriage sheets
for the village to examine.

Blood seeping into the white pad
the beef lies in.

Blood in the birth chamber,
the stainless steel stirrups.

The blood of our fathers
christening a bayonet.

Blood in running water
a nick at a time.

Blood spun in a centrifuge,
blue blood in the vein.

Blood red roses in a long box,
a ring, a kiss, a wedding dress.


I selected this poem for First Place because it was the most focused poem of all the submissions. It knew its theme and honed in on it. Although it could have been longer, the lines were precise, without any wasted words. --Richard Krawiec