Blue on a day
gorgeous as a
Polio cell and
as invasive,
dangerous. The
life cycle of
the Polio virus
enters a human
nerve cells,
intriguing as
blue flowers,
a sapphire
ornament
hanging from
a tree, as harm-
less as a
suave lover
who sweeps a
damaged woman
into his arms,
invades, gives
her family rings,
leaves her
paralyzed
colorless sky
hanging on
like the last leaf
on the tree
I don't know
the name of
once full of
singing birds,
now ragged,
torn shells
about to be
flint from
all that
nourished,
held it
not the alabaster,
not the what-had-
stretched out, a
beach with no
footprints. Not
the small words,
scars, the high,
the simultaneity.
6 inch heels in
your skin, electric,
eloquent when
I don't even spell
check. Don't
tell me those
who write what
they know have
no imagination:
there's too much,
maybe worse to do
with this mystery
Lyn Lifshin's recent prizewinning book, Before It's Light, was published winter 1999-2000 by Black Sparrow press, following their publication of Cold Comfort in 1997. Another Woman Who Looks Like Me is currently available from Black Sparrow-David Godine. Her poems have appeared in most literary and poetry magazines and she is the subject of an award winning documentary film, Lyn Lifshin: Not Made of Glass available from Women Make Movies. For more information, her web site is www.lynlifshin.com.