appearances

she was beautiful,

though a boy.

i can only speak of my ambivalence

about that.

she wanted to be a poet

“because poets know about words

and how they mean.”

i’m not so sure about that.

there are always gaps

between intention and perception.

“poetry is like dancing,”

she says. then again,

you never know who you’re getting

as a partner.

she likes to go dancing.

she mostly goes alone.

she likes to go dancing.

it is the only time she feels beautiful.