PRISM

Pay no attention to the woman behind the curtain

Of hair

Of sweat

Of smoke from ill-advised cigarettes

(I could be doing worse. Save your nagging.)
 

Do not watch as 

She sprints

She raves

She whirls in erratic ellipses

(It is all necessary; I swear)
 

Disregard, please and thank you,

Her chatter

Her mania

Her gnarled, stained hands

(I’ll scrub them after but this first just this)
 

Instead, observe the beautiful thing!

The one she toiled over!

The one wrapped in velvet phrases!

The one she wants you to tear into with hands and mouths and eyes!

(Eat it love it tell me what you liked what you didn’t I must know for the next, please)
 

(I am faced with a two way mirror

One side full of eager, expectant faces

One side empty save for me, bone-tired in all iterations

I try to stay on the latter, but the glow of their gazes seeps through-)

What on earth is she staring at now?