Facets

She was all that and much more The child with the smiles and the braids White dresses, friendly nods and compliancy Muddy shoes, trees and cursing Sent away from school and frowns Cycling on one wheel only Plastered with band aids Quick glances in the mirror Lip-gloss, eye-liner, brushed hair Strapless dress and high heels Stolen kisses in the dark of the alley With that boy or that girl Clumsily fumbling with straps Or zippers Hungrily searching not finding Running away faster and faster At the running track Through the woods. The girl with the curls and cap, and blowing hair From her eyes Refusing to look in the mirror Refusing to face, face to face Denying. Multi-faceted and beautiful The girl that didn’t dare to decide And therefore decided to swim Folded her clothes Next to her shoes Swam till her lungs were empty And her heart full And her eyes swam Only when her body felt like loose pebbles Held together by skin She felt for the first time She is all that and much more She is beautiful, her head high Sometimes she uses lip-gloss Sometimes she climbs trees She laughs soft, loud, teary-eyed, and often She hugs tight and warm and infinitely loving She gives love to him, her, and herself Love her back, all of her With gusto *** Repost from September 2016 © Darren White