More Than a Pretty Smile

There she was chasing a rabbit with 1 am coffeecakes and weak tea She didn’t notice I was watching from the branches of an olive tree A lone smile hidden amongst swirling smoke rings in a foreign accent To the gazebo she ran with its straw grass tables and pleated cushions in hibiscus print fabric no one would sit on My eyes followed her as she darted around manicured boxwoods and cherub statues spitting water onto sleeping lily pads, following the same schedule as the other…identical She came upon a dandelion and asked politely, “Pardon me, but have you seen a…” The weed interrupted, “Didn’t…don’t do drama dreams dancing deliriously down donut distracted ditches” “That’s dumb” she replied with a giggle and a snort This must be her fun, I think, trying to catch a white ball of fur, big, then small, then smaller still like a thimble seeking a thread, when now she is stopped in her ziggy zagging tracks by a June bug singing, “I see, I see, in front of me Dessert, dessert, set out for free A chocolate pie, a chocolate pie in menus written on the sky” Perplexed she climbed upon its back and flew, holding onto red leather shoulder pads with black dots changing shapes, ducking winged arches that covered the vestibule they soared through when a sharp turn pitched her to the opposite side… Landing with a thud, her new dress now soiled between the wrinkles in time that had ticked away on a clock faced sun named Ray She cried carrot tears, orange sherbet streams on peach tone cheeks, marmalade miseries and mango miscues piddling on her patent leather shoes, ready to give up When it appeared, hopping happily Jumping into her lap and licking her face She caressed its fur, removing sticker burs and scratching just the right spot, as its right rear leg thumped with joy Then lifting the bundled bunny to her face, she kissed it tenderly with wild cherry gloss lips, or should I say…kissed me for you see, all along, it was me "And you thought I was nothing more than a pretty smile…"