Wheelchair-bound
yet she dances
over to the mirror,
because he'll
be here soon
to take her
for a long walk
in the moonlight.
She slips into her
most elegant crystal
glass beaded shoes,
a pair of wrinkled,
soiled peds
beside her bed
She applies a bright
ruby sheen to
her full lips,
yet the chap-stick
comes out clear
upon the cracked,
dry, food stained
flesh protrusions
over her wrinkled maw.
She strokes her
l o n g eyelashes
with ebony to highlight
her pale blue eyes,
each still holding onto
the dreams of youth.
Sadly, it is only her
arthritic fingers
pulling at the
sticky residues of
too much sleep and meds.
The mirror holds
an addled reflection
of what she was
and will be no more.
But her weak
cataract eyes
refuse to see
the real truth.
Thus her bald head
gleams in the sharp
fluorescent light as,
the aging woman
combs her hair.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Artis
Author notes
My choice: the aging woman combs her hair
A contest entry
- Fairy Tales - Retell or Remake them! PREWRITES OK more points as we go! by Melissa Burns.
425 points, ended May 6, 2008, 18 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 8 of 8
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Wow..this was surreal! Excellent penning! Congratulations on winning Silver.
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Self-deception and vanity, eh? A poignant and accomplished piece of poetry, which is several cuts above the average for this site.
Bill
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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Thank You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* for entering my contest!!!! I love this entry, it's flawless my friend as so much of your work is!
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Wow,
This write was amazing.
You know I love all of your writs,
they make me smile for reasons unknown until
the last line.
I suppose it's this "life" you keep writing about.
It opens doors, and that is true heroism.
Thanks for sharing,
~*SL*~
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outstanding
The imagery is so vivid, the words deeply emotive it feels as if I am standing in the doorway taking note of every detail. Thinking these thoughts while watching. It leaves me wondering though, does the reader who stands in the doorway of your eyes see their own mortality staring them in the face. Does this thought cross their mind as they read? It did in mine. Immediately it makes me want to come to her, wipe the crust from her lips and help her prepare for her occasion. Making perfect the lipstick, the mascara. Make perfect her thinning hair. While this in a large way is sad, it is also joyous. You see, for me while I see my own mortality, I also see strength and love. She doesn't need to see with her own eyes. She knows who she is and the fact that still she wants to look beautiful shows that she hasn't given up. Each movement she makes screams determination. In life and living is the difference between life and death. It makes all the difference in the world!!
YNW
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oh you cannot do this to me!! So many memories flood, as do my eyes. You really do know how to tug at the heart strings and tie them lovingly in a bow.
~Michelle~
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You absolutley cannot have this poem on this website unless you agree to post it in my contest! I love it! Very sad and sweet all at the same time! Wonderful as always!
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very good write, and very creative. I love the first three lines "wheelchair-bound yet she dances over to the mirror" It's like she has so much hope.
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