HER SKIN WAS WELL LEATHERED
IN HOMAGE TO TIME
BROWNED BY THE SUN'S WEATHERED FACE
HER HAIR WAS ALL TANGLED
AND SPUN IN THE WIND
LIKE A FINE, FILIGREED LACE
HER CLOTHES, THEY HUNG LOOSELY
UPON HER SLIGHT FRAME
NO HINT, DID THEY GIVE OF HER GRACE
AND I MIGHT HAVE MISSED HER
HAD I NOT BEEN
IN THAT PARTICULAR PLACE
SHE SAT ON THE CORNER
SHOULDERS BOWED ROUND
PEOPLE PASSED BY HER, UNCARING
IN THEIR IMPORTANCE
PRETENDING THAT THEY
HAD NOT BEEN BLATANTLY STARING
SHE SEEMED NOT TO NOTICE
BUT KEPT HER HEAD DOWN
GAZE LEVELED CLOSE TO THE GROUND
SCHOOLED LONG IN THE ART
OF MAKING ONE'S SELF
BELIEVE THERE IS NO ONE AROUND
THE CLOUDS SLIGHTLY PARTED
A BREEZE SAUNTERED THROUGH
SHE LIFTED HER FACE TO THE SKIES
WAS THEN THAT I SAW THEM
-- THE JEWELS IN HER CROWN --
THE WOMAN HAD TURQUOISE FOR EYES.
SHE FIXED THEM UPON ME
A MOMENT OR TWO
STARTLING US BOTH IN THE MEETING . . .
AND I PEERED INSIDE
THE WOMAN WITH EYES
CUT FROM THE GEMS
OF THE GOD OF THE SKIES
AND I SAW THE PLACE
WITHIN THAT LINED FACE
WHERE THUNDER MEETS LIGHTNING
AND POWER MEETS GRACE
THERE . . . SPIDERS WERE WEAVING
THE STARS UP IN SPACE
TO BLANKET THE DREAMERS
WITHIN LIFE'S EMBRACE
AND RAINBOWS HAD GATHERED
TO HOWL WITH THE MOON
AND BORN OF THEIR MUSIC
THE SONG AND THE TUNE . . .
WERE DANCING IN SPIRALS
LIKE MOTHS TO A FLAME
LIFE WAS UNFOLDING
WITHOUT ANY SHAME
MYSTERY HONORED
AND WISDOM UNVEILED
BENEATH ALL THE SHADOW
OF GLORY THAT TRAILED
LIKE WHITE-WATER SEAFOAM
PAINTS OVER A STONE
CONCEALED WAS A DIAMOND
WITHIN FLESH AND BONE
