seeing red

However long your patience, I will shred it.

If you sleep, I'll steal the dreams from your eyes.

Stand like a mountain, I'll melt you in fire;

Be the sea, and I'll drink your water dry.

#1287: From Rumi's Kolliyaat-e Shams-e Tabrizi

Search word: red

I was seeing red this morning, furious over an incident with neighbours last night. I decided to allow the red to turn up serendipitously among the first lines of the Rumi quatrains. My patience was, indeed, in shreds.

I'm calmer now, I've taken steps to deal with the matter.

If your patience is in shreds, I'll restore it.
If you're awake, I'll send you back to sleep.
If you flow too much, I'll introduce some starch;
Be a desert, and I'll fill you with flowers.