Portrait (Poetry)

Stretched, the perfect canvas of her face
for youth to smooth its palest pastels on —
the faintest smudge of pink across each cheek,
her skin magnolia-fine and petal-fresh
as any flower opened for the sun
to brush with light, enhance its milky tone.

Introspective eyes, their placid blue
edged along each shore with sable fronds
curling back and widening her gaze
as though entranced by landscapes only dreamed,
her mood is wistful, waiting for a sigh
to end the moment, let the shade move round.

No thought of how the unkind years will dry
the dew-oils from her skin and dull its sheen,
now flawlessness is saved — her image framed
in dust-free limbo safe behind its glass —
and colours guaranteed to be light-fast,
unfading while she fades along with us.