Let\u2019s pretend, she said to her friend
\nrunning down the hill in the opposite direction.
\nLet\u2019s pretend, she said to the sky, to the air,
\nto the field around her.<\/p>\n
Arms held high, as if performing for God,
\nshe danced in a white long-sleeved blouse
\nand a plaid skirt over black knee-highs.<\/p>\n
Blond hair blowing in fall breezes,
\nher hips gyrated to the beat in her head,
\nlike Tinker Bell savoring Never-Never-Land.<\/p>\n
Waving like one of those lilies of the field
\nthat lives carefree under divine protection,
\nshe touched tall grasses,
\nholding deep conversations with them.<\/p>\n
Watched from a distance,
\nshe did not hide in embarrassment\u2013\u2013rather,
\nshe heightened the pitch of her twirling
\nwith the air of a princess pleasing her subjects.<\/p>\n
How long would it take for her to lose
\nthat spark of self-absorption,
\nthat feeling that she was enough?<\/p>\n
Perhaps some teacher would criticize
\nher crayoned elephant,
\na parent would tell her kissing donkeys
\nwasn\u2019t proper or friends wouldn\u2019t choose her
\nfor their softball team?<\/p>\n
When would she become self-conscious
\nor ashamed, pulling in like a threatened turtle?
\nHow old a woman would she have to be
\nto start talking to grasses again?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Let\u2019s pretend, she said to her friend running down the hill in the opposite direction. Let\u2019s pretend, she said to the sky, to the air, to the field around her. Arms held high, as if performing for God, she danced in a white long-sleeved blouse and a plaid skirt over black knee-highs. Blond hair blowing … <\/p>\n