Her Power

By Joseph Hesch

She loved this time,
the first instance each show
when she broke from behind the curtains
and into the lights.
She can feel her power
to draw the attention of men
as well as women
to her beautiful face,
her seductive body,
her magnetic being.
She reveled in the fact
that every man out there wanted her
and every woman
sitting with that man
secretly wanted to be her,
sinuously slinking down the catwalk,
head high, stride strong,
to stop at its end,
right hip, POP
left hip, POP
swirling turn, and
show them the rear view is
as good as the front.
The lights, she thinks,
it's the power of the lights
that helps bring this power
out of me.
I love the light and it loves me.
Love.
And this crowd loves me.
Love.
Just listen to them,
just...
"Can I give you a push,
Mrs. Marmelstein, love?"

This poem was written in response to the photo above as part of One Stop Poetry's One Shoot Sunday. At first this photo made me feel the sadness and rage of old age, and there most definitely is that in so many of the elderly. But there are some for whom their bodies are merely vessels in which their memories and imaginations still live a vibrant existence. My character here, Mrs. Marmelstein, is one of those lucky people. And her memories...oh my!