Petal and Perfume (poem)

Petal and Perfume

At their tables, they waited

She had made them see, by knotted strings

That flared white, and danced, and left their

Interweavings on the eye’s lens

Against the contrast of brown limbs

A bower of surpassing craft

Decked in petal and perfume

All that was prelude

The trespasser spoke at length

They were sleeping, uncertain

More readily would deem this cleverness

Call her thief, call her wraith, an angel

Or one come to lay a curse

Daughter to those best unnamed

But her story was all paean

Praise to the fair, green land

Praise to her stout, bold knights

Praise to thine honored father, prince

He who wearily

Lets her hold his gaze

Now will you swear an oath

For I will call you to my colors

One day…and these you know

You will know me, though never in this guise

Petal and Perfume

Sans Serif

Crumbs Enough

(2017, Stephanie Foster)