2010/02/15 Lips & Temperament Poem by Margaret Alice

I go along to the general store, you
look at tools and ovens and I go off
to study the toys, dolls, puzzles with
lovely designs, beautiful paper and
colouring pens, hunting for handy
utensils does not come naturally

Saw a lovely paper-doll, Annie, just
the right eyes and facial expression,
though too expensive I might still
succumb to temptation, explained
to Edana and Barbara how revea-
ling expression of demeanour is

How the way lips are painted indicates
temperament, they defended the withdrawn,
far-away look of an artist playing a fiddle,
I preferred the mermaid next to the light-
house doing nothing because she looks
so loving and compassionate

I spend hours looking at expressions on paper
faces or painted on dolls and figurines, knowing
what a face says is so important, complemented
by clothing or pose, I found the plastic faces of
actors and pop stars do not work for this game
of finding emotions inside from the outside

They seem plastic and superficial, I prefer dolls
or figurines of fairies, paintings and drawings
I love wide-eyed wonder most of all…