Autumn blazed from her eyes
diamonds tapped on soles of her shoes
red hair medusa flame, half-white
and she danced
holding our hands
until fingers bent back and snapped
with the looseness of it
and we danced
she was cold water after a desert walk about
a tear in blankets just after one feels warm
a back pack over a six hundred dollar suit
but she danced to Paul Simon
and her partner was black
as blue-blood
African as dark settling over Serengeti
where poachers lurk
to split the pack
and they had danced
like sun and shadow playing
across a planked floor
we were splintered rainbows
a prism reflected on skin
that made us all the same
we were Africa
for a few undulating moments
hanging on her highest trill
following her imprint of diamonds
Author notes
I spent a few days with the lady who Paul Simon wrote his "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes" song for. She had escaped from South Africa with her African husband. It did not matter that she owned a top-end chain of stores or that he was a doctor. She was expecting a biracial child. It was leave or die.
Monica's website: http://www.shosholoza.ca/clients.html
A contest entry
- There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.... by Thor-201.
800 points, ended January 26, 9 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
-
Thank you for your entry, best of luck in the contest
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"like sun and shadow playing
across a planked floor
we were splintered rainbows
a prism reflected on skin"
Great metaphor in this amazing write...You always make people feel so very special in your dedication poems...Sigh....
I just love everything you pen
Lynda
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