Rusty Confidences Poem by Lonnie Hicks

She had the rusty confidence of an older woman
who had fixed her mirror at 23
no later images allowed
as she took in my face
and allowed
those beautiful eyes of hers
to wander down and over me
lingering longer than a lady's eyes should
which made them into bedroom eyes
which she did not seek to conceal
looking up to see me looking into those eyes
having their forbidden views
but she didn't mind that I knew and understood
their meanings and intents
while I could see she could see
me the younger man
learning lessons from her
and she guessed
needed what she had to teach,
if I could get pass her lined face
and see with her 23 year old eyes
behind the mirror time had obscured,
hoping I could see that which would make me wiser than my years
and I was
because need recognizes needs
irrespective of the years
and facial lines
drawn down from time
did not obscure that beating heart
I could hear thumping loud
behind the blue sheer blouse she wore
elbows on the table
her breasts lying there
like the evenings two course meal
waiting to be consumed
or petted like puppies
appreciated because they
shined still after all these years.

Her eyes followed my eyes and she watched me watching them
shifting wanting to wring appreciation from me,
impatient to give the two be given their just due
parts of her she still liked and loved
almost like mementos from her youth which
had remained the same and had not betrayed
like those lines in her face
and I was to corroborate and vindicate that view
with just a lingering glance and willowy simile
which I gave with true admiration and kindness mixed
because she had asked me to with her eyes.

A tear formed there
and a silent thank you flowed across that table
and we both understood
kindness, appreciation and need
met and married there
rolling back time
if only for an instant.