SHADOWS

Do you believe you hold court, 

mother, awash in the icy 

sparkle of ancient,

faceted, polished coal,
your sustenance of choice?

Man-made incandescence
luxuriates on
every surface, colludes with
the colloids on your
skin to fulfil the avaricious 
alchemist's promises.

Masses of blush roses gasp
in the glowing void that
carries you, billow over the
empty palaver
you surround yourself with,
thirsty for the
restoring light and air you
tore them from.

Would that they could tint
your finely moulded
lifeless cheeks! Would that
their scent could
blunt your bitter blade!

No, it is their shapes and girths
you mark, perusing the outline
of each petal with a
magnifying glass.

The imperfect now lie in an old
basket, destined 
for the compost heap.

I believe I shall take the faded,
the blemished, into my 
shadows, lend them 
colour, depth and song.

© 2014 Lily's Verse
Lilium Candidum

Image: VANITY
Source: www.artscroll.ru
Artist: Frank cadogan Cowper