Pretend

I haven't posted this before - I thought it might be too sugary. Nonetheless...
Pretend

I
Orange berries, bittersweet
on a leaf plate, with white pebble cakes.
She pours carefully
from an invisible pot, raises her invisible cup,
fingers crooked delicately, sips,
puts a berry to her lips, smiling a party smile,
saying num num num, whistles
on a blade of grass for music.
Some more tea? Isn't it delicious?

II
Her father's shaving. He makes a foamy beard,
draws the razor in a lawnmower swath
to smooth skin.
"Shave me too, please!"
He removes the razor's two-sided blade,
squirts her face with shaving cream,
shows her her beard in the mirror.
She stands very still
while he shaves off the foam.
She wants to have a moustache
when she grows up.

III
Jump, jump, two at a time.
The lower flight stairs are even-numbered.
The second flight, you skip a step,
then jump, jump, jump again.
The second flight has walls to close you in,
it's always dim. Run!
Reach the top before the tv warms up,
or else.

IV
In Mommy's book of paintings
a naked lady is tied to a tree,
and a knight in armour rides up to save her.
She picks up Gwendolyn, the biggest doll,
takes off her clothes and props her against a chair leg.
She knows it's nasty, but she doesn't know why.

V
A secret clubhouse in the attic cubbyhole,
with a toy piano, and lots of things.
Two children sit, murmuring stories.
The door shuts and click, it's locked.
They shout and shout, and start to cry,
knowing they'll die before anyone finds them.
Then Mommy opens the door
and admits them into light.

5 comments:

Lucy said...

What vivid memories!
I especially like the one about the knight and the naked lady!

Anna said...

'She knows it's nasty, but she doesn't know why' - oh, that raises the feeling of a childish guilt I had quite forgotten. You remember childhood well, it's a really good piece.

Padraig O'Morain said...

I love the second stanza, about the father "shaving" the child. The child standing still is very good. Always a pleasure to read your work.
Padraig

Anonymous said...

beautiful -- a fan

Desert Rose said...

i loved that read! truly interesting and heartwarming..keep writing,you are really good!