I saw her.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

4:43 PM - i saw her
Current mood: nostalgic

(this poem is inspired by a woman who came into see me, her husband had been approved for benefits, but he had died two weeks ago... when i called her... his voice still greeted me on the answering machine... she was not ready to let him go)

i saw her
a young Italian girl
dancing with her uncles
and cousins and brothers
spinning to the sound of the accordion
and laughter and Italian country songs
she loved to dance
in her flowing skirts
because of how the wind felt
against her legs
and how the music
made her feel
like a flower in the wind

i saw her
her olive green eyes shining
as the sunset hit them from afar
they reflected her soul
to him, her love, just weeks ago,

he understood her, and he loved her well,
and when they danced, she felt like the wind...
harnessed by a sail, destined for distant wonders

i saw her,
those eyes had smiled a thousand times (if once),
but now, years later, they wrinkled at the edges,
a souvenir of a thousand memories with her lost love.

and as she sat.. i saw her dance... through her feet.
she still wore heels, though now, years later,
her feet were crooked,
they had been in thousands of beautiful shoes,
and though she would end up barefoot,
her bent toes showed the torture they had endured,
but of course, they were still painted red

and when she smiled,
she said her name was "An-nah",

and when she looked me in the eye,
i saw this, all of it,
this beautiful Italian girl... her eyes told me of her sadness,
now a face she didn't recognize in the mirror..

but i saw her.