Child

A starch lavender dress poses

Like a rare rose in a forest green field,

And she its yellow center

Plays a game with an imaginary friend

Under a velour sky

Pierced by a pyrite sun.

And we watch her through a kitchen window

Like we watch the porcelain ballerina in her glittering globe,

In awe of her beauty,

Envious of her satisfaction with the world,

Wanting to preserve her in a glass dome

So that the purple petals never wilt

And the sky never tarnishes.

Reviews

[W.k.kortas]

This piece is deceptive in its simplicity, but there is more than meets the eye here. The type of imagery you use to describe the fleeting images of both the scene and childhood in general are wonderfully done--thus we have the girl as a dress as opposed to a person, a sun of fools gold, and the ballerina made from inanimate and fragile porcelain. This is intelligent, exceptionally well-executed writing.

[bunny nabber]

this is glorious. So real, i think ive seen and thought the same spirit of the thing, you've captured it and penned it beautifully. youth, beautiful youth, the desire to protect it is almost painful

[Emily B]

Oh, absolutely, can I call her Anna? This is a wonderful piece of work!

[Cdnsurfer]

The flow of this piece is simply breathtaking, running through a bouquet of colours and feelings, thinking on the child innocent and at play. You used words carefully, being sure to bring out the imagery and the emotions, and yet, as W.K. points out, the simplicity of the scene; yet, beneath, as viewer/narrator, we are fearful of the day the innocence evaporates. If only the Spring of childhood could last forever. If only we can be perfectly at ease in the world, as we were once as a child. Well done. Well done indeed. Rob

[mysticgmekeepr]

very, very good. I loved the use of color and image. I could see my Grand daughter dancing in all her glory out my kitchen window and wanting to preserve her innocence...so that her "purple petals never wilt and her sky never tarnishes."