8-21-22/9-22-22
Her white tank top, probably dug out from a drawer
Reveals her darkened skin that forever more
Will not be seen from the man who’s not here
She must have left quietly, scared is my fear
With a hat made for her, she wandered about
Down to the lake, long walk from the drought
No sound from her feet, no sound of her breath
Her movement was perfect, I’ll tell you the rest
I watched her sit down and stand up again
She debated this place, for her thoughts to detain
Getting her chair and like princess grace
Her movement was deliberate, a warm look on her face
Quietly she prepared a place setting for just one
The scene was so perfect, the lake licked up by the sun
Her music was soft, not chosen at random
The price to be with her cost someone a ransom
My fear in my head was a girl who went running
From something so bad, something so cunning
Got up the nerve to approach and inquire with restraint
About a girl who never notice, yet had no complaint
The color of that skin and the softness of her eyes
Has me thinking how anyone, this girl could despise
She welcomed me in, well, I say that guessing it true
And told my her name, still my curiosity grew
She said she was from here, nothing further from the truth
I didn’t correct her, she’s a girl with her youth
What I played in my mind, the reason she’s here
I was punched in the gut, my guess was so near
To the truth that something, someone, or someway
Hurt her so bad, that the best was to stay away
Seeing her eyes, her soft voice, her tenderness
Brought water to my eyes, caused by such wonderness
She gave me her name, I imagine I’ll never forget
She said it as a song, seeing her, something I’ll never regret
I had to take my leave, walk back to my perch
And wonder about a girl, and maybe a father who searched
For the girl with dark skin, who captured your eye
My thought is where she is tomorrow, my prayer I will try
To think that she left here and her troubles blew away
And returning to peace, I’d have it no other way
Though she came alone and never said a word
Ones like her, the like no one has heard
For she left a way, a path, a feeling never felt
I wonder and stare, then head in hands, knees I knelt
One Response
I enjoyed the strong visuals. The expressions are concise and tho the details are sparse the narrative unfolds with plenty to see. The dark skinned girl’s actions tug mightily at the storyteller’s own emotions. We, like the teller, are left with questions about her but we appreciate his depth of humanity.