My pale, baby face blooms unseen in your bedroom mirror;

I watch you, beautiful woman who is not yet mine,

dancing in the scent of summer and hypnotised

by half moon shadows playing across creaky floorboards.

 

It’s Friday night and you shake off those playground blues,

put on your high heeled shoes, too dark eyeliner,

and line your lips into the shape of a woman who dresses

for nobody but herself, shimmering beneath a disco ball

 

of every tomorrow I wish I could be in but I know

it is not my time yet. Let me watch a little longer;

let me watch you braid your hair with daisy chains

and spin until you are butterfly dizzy.

 

Let me watch a little longer, beautiful woman

who is not yet mine. Even when you know

there’s something in the wind – tiny hands,

purpling skin and the threat of every tomorrow

 

becoming a yesterday you wished you had lived

to its very fullest. My pale, baby face blooms unseen

and you dance in the heady wildflower love of summer,

hypnotised by half moon shadows playing across creaky floorboards. 

 

---

 

Poem: © Kristiana Reed 2020

My poetry collections:

Flowers on the Wall UK

Flowers on the Wall US

Between the Trees UK

Between the Trees US

https://linktr.ee/KristianaReed