August spits and holds

[Leanne]

restlessness = the tangled scent of red

That is "the tangled scent of red" is a metaphor for restlessness.

I agree with Ray, there's no evidence to suggest that either the poem or further interpretation have held the second clause to be equal to the first. That would be repetitive. Rather, it's fair to assume that the comma serves as a list marker or an "and" substitute -- restlessness in addition to the tangled scent of red.