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
Sans Serif
Crumbs Enough
(2017, Stephanie Foster)