An Older Woman

1.
Hers is a used and casual
beauty, the best kind actually for
it never needs to trumpet itself.
It simply is, like the world.
 
2.
She’s lived by rising and falling,
perfecting symphonies of self-love.
Her speech is worn smooth as the
throats of wild flowers.
 
3.
She thinks with her body
which means she thinks long,
lithe, limber thoughts.
But she can’t stand missionaries.
 
4.
Her dreams are as dark as
last night’s wine, which is to
say she sleeps sound and sane,
with untroubled eyes.
 
5.
She believes in a grounded heaven –
people will still have sex,
and we’ll keep our four seasons.
But she predicts pedicures for free.
 
 

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18 Comments

  1. Rachel on July 27, 2016 at 1:42 pm

    What a striking way to be an older woman. In This Night Of Our Age is also a recent favorite of mine. I appreciate your gifted words. You help me see how to better craft thoughts. Thanks for giving me such a beautiful way to learn.

    Rachel

    Rachel Franklin Writer RachelFranklinWrites.com

    >

    • thebeautifuldue on July 27, 2016 at 6:52 pm

      Thanks for your kind words, Rachel. I appreciate them very much!

      • Rachel on July 27, 2016 at 7:00 pm

        You’re welcome. Oops, I replied through email and see my signature came through. Not intentional.

  2. PreetamDas Kirtana on July 27, 2016 at 2:53 pm

    Once again, John, a thing of beauty, craft, and heart.

  3. Jody Lee Collins on July 27, 2016 at 3:35 pm

    Oh, this is one lovely Older Woman-I like her vision of Heaven. Well done.

  4. Joy Lenton on July 27, 2016 at 5:14 pm

    John, you give us older women a beautiful vision to aspire to. Thank you l

    • thebeautifuldue on July 27, 2016 at 6:54 pm

      I appreciate you taking the time to comment, Joy. Thanks!

  5. Jackie Lea Sommers on July 27, 2016 at 5:36 pm

    Reblogged this on Jackie Lea Sommers and commented:
    Love this.

  6. J.L. Sanborn on July 27, 2016 at 11:54 pm

    She is beautiful.

  7. Carol Vinson on July 28, 2016 at 8:42 pm

    I use the hashtag ‘beautyintheeveryday’ when I post pictures — this absolutely is the epitome of that. You always weave so much beauty and emotion into the simple, everyday things, and create the sacred. Thank you for sharing!

  8. Robert Benson on August 1, 2016 at 5:27 pm

    BLASE, The Newly Acclaimed One —

    As you might expect, I loved this piece from you. And given that I am a man of a certain age, many of my women friends are of a certain age as well. They are in the same tribe certainly, maybe even cohort as the moderns say. I read it aloud to two of them the other day at table with friends. They burst into tears and demanded it be sent along to them. They spent the next half hour on the various devices — ignoring my witty conversation and being careful of their manicures, of course — firing it round to their comrades round the country. Untold numbers of women are laughing and weeping and praising your name. Well-played, Blase, well-played.

    A true poet is an observer first and a wordsmith second. And you are damned fine one.

    NAMASTÉ —

    R. Benson 2006 Acklen Avenue, Box 121994 Nashville, Tennessee 37212 rbstudio2@me.com / 615.720.6838

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