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1

you just stop caring
about those things
she said
perspiration clinging
like little beads of hope
to the hairs above her lip

2

you forget how to be
petty and
jealous
or vain

3

mincing words
isn’t an option
anymore

4

you remember
your childhood
and how you couldn’t wait to
grow up
always wishing to be older
for the years to pass
quicker

5

enjoying your youth
she continued
contradicted the need
to be instantly gratified

6

now you finally ask yourself
why?
and all the other questions that went
unasked
unanswered
when you were young

7

you focus more
she concluded
you fixate less
it does not occur to you
to be ungrateful
or spiteful
or too sensitive
energy once used on
thunderous losing battles
is saved for
a gentle dialogue
with a friend like you

8

and then she batted at
an errant hair
with her bony hand
her eyes squinted
narrowed in on mine
her finger brushed my cheek
you have an eyelash
here…blow

9

and
i looked away
like one does
when she is caught
in a lie
careful what you wish for
she warned
you just might get it.

Posted by Alexis on June 16, 2008
Tags: Uncategorized

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SBW on whole page :

Wow Alexis. You have a way of mincing no words, of zeroing in on the touch “questions that went unasked,” that are revealed in the unasking. And the stark ending is unnerving — that wishes are dangerous things–and should be voice with care.
SBW

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June 16, 2008 9:32 pm
Meagan M. on whole page :

I love this poem. The “perspiration clinging / like little beads of hope” and batting at an “errant hair” are little actions that say so much about the woman in the poem. Also, I love the way you handled the dialogue. My personal favorite little detail is definitely finding the eyelash on the speaker’s cheek. In my experience, it’s a special sort of person who does that kind of thing.

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June 17, 2008 10:48 am
Rini on whole page :

I really like the ending of this , especially the lie. What lie? Could be so many things when you are visiting your aunt, mother, grandmother, whoever in the nursing home - the one who lived longer than she thought she would but as long as (maybe longer than) she wished she would.

Definitely - careful what you wish for. Nice work!

Rini

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June 20, 2008 9:23 pm
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