Girl Into Woman Poem by Richard G Berg

The girl becomes
A woman
Tells her girl
This was the man
Pointing to a book of poems propped
Up on her bedspread
Who loved me dearly - clearly
Whose love of me, of mine
He had, so nearly
Had he had this love
You might have been
She strokes the covers (both sides) of his book
Someone else's
Instead, instead I looked ahead
Her girl asks her
With searching eyes
What happened next
Well, he became a star
Bright, benevolent, brilliant
For many people, women and girls
Especially. And, loved, yes loved
By many

She sighs and the girl
Sighs back, too
(Rhyme achieved)
Her girl opens the book while the wind waves
At the window
This man, I let him go. I let
Your father love me
She smiles, comma coming next
She nods, not once. Yes, she is glad. She nods again
Don't love
Because you are loved (she says)
Don't tumble
Even if the man boasting of love
Confesses he will love you until one of you
Shall crumble

Even if his mastery makes you feel great
Soothing with love, of a perfect weight
Ride passion pillion
Be loved, be loved, by all means
Tis worth one in a million!
But, she asserts like an untouched woman
A poet's love burns brightest at the centre
Of their poems


Her girl, has been peeking into his poems
Holds one of them to the slight light
Running through it her mother's maiden name
It is titled: Don't Poison Me

The girl becomes
A woman
As eyes meet

Richard G Berg
December 2021