On Friday I was launching the new pamphlet containing this poem (amongst others, I should add) which, whilst it wasn't exactly childhood, was young enough. So it's one for the Jam, here: http://poetryjaam.blogspot.com/2011/09/baby-got-back.html)
And today imaginary garden with real toads is asking for a poem which 'explores a social or humanist theme, or contains a message you feel is important enough to voice to the four winds.' That old ego's joining in: http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2011/10/calling-all-toads.html
On Looking
I am a badly-peeled grape of girl,
having lost my good face at twenty-one.
I lived, briefly, as a smooth-skin lustre pearl,
then my flirtation with beauty was done.
The face that replaced it I choose to forget,
except it appears the choice is not mine;
I see it in every reflected glance yet,
the veiled pity eyes that cloud me unblind.
But distorted as any fairground mirror,
truth lies like a gypsy fortune teller
searching pockets to see the future clearer:
people look not at, but in. So do tell her,
the world is not as cruel as we can be;
be kinder to what mirrors what you see.
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