Two more. Read (and written) at Umi Cafe, Dec. 12th, 2008.

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Amazing Grace

Grace was old in Babylon
When the world turned
On the axis of her ankle
(when jewel-spangled hips caught fire
light in temple and caravanserai)

In Venice, she went underground
Named herself ‘artist’, not ‘priestess’
Wore pearls despite the prohibition
(audacious in the face of laws
that tried to brand her “wicked”
when she was anything but)

In frontier towns
She offered
Salvation
scented with jasmine
as Sister of Mercy

yes

Grace was old in Babylon,
But the world still spins
on the axis of her ankle
She makes those platform heels
look easy
(jewel-spangled hips still catching the light)

In clubs and apartments
on stages and street corners
Grace checks her lipstick
and smiles at the mirror:

Beautiful
Brave
Unbowed

And still

Amazing


*~*~*~*~*


Beautiful

I wish you could see yourself
The way that I see you

That you could look in the mirror, and see
beauty incarnate
not something unfinished,
in need of perfecting

it’s not that I don’t understand,
that I’ve never looked a my own reflection and seen
only heavy jaw
flat cheekbones

that I’ve never wished my image looked
a little bit different.
A little more like a model
A little less like me

But you

You are BEAUTIFUL

so beautiful

Your strong bones and
Sharp features make you so.

I wish
You could see yourself
The way that I see you

You would
Never
Want to change
again