Shiloh
Illinois Poet

© 1997 by Betty L Bauer and gangan books australia

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An Old Watch

I only saw the back of her
and from a distance
her slim, shapely body,
her blonde hair curled
under a large, brim, straw hat,
and her colourful, sporty clothes
looked young and lovely.
Nearing her
I noticed the brown spots along
her arms
where her hair stood up,
like the hair on a fly,
and I thought of swatting her.
I wouldn't dare.
Her knotted fingers displayed
perfectly polished fingernails
and her thin neck was streaked
with deep set, crooked lines.
Around her wrist she wore a
Mickey Mouse watch
and that reminded me of
what I have lost, too.

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Space For A Shadow

She was just taking up space
without even a sliver of a
shadow
by her side.
Her heart had been less than
wanted
at birth
and her pain bled into this
world unnurtured.
She stood still
looking like she was plastered
against a desert wall
for fear of seeing her shadow.

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Shiloh, 213 Red Bud Lane, Shiloh, IL 62269 USA