THE OLDER MALL

The double level mall is older. Spacious.
The architect provided here and there
Life sized statues, of a family:
Father carrying small ones on his shoulders;
Mother raising baby overhead;
Approving parents watching children’s antics.
There is no “music”; little in the crowd
That’s raucous loud or frantic.

Sitting on a lower bench observing,
I saw a young and slender person — yes, a girl.
Entering above, she slowly walked
Toward the railing, where she could lean down
To see the chattering crowd of moving people
Below. She was beautiful. She looked intently.
But oh — the shock! Her heavily made-up face,
Her tawdry, gaudy, low cut glittery dress
on such a sunny autumn morn as this.

Leaning her face on tightly clenched fists
She looked down on the moving crowd of people:
Young and old; high school girls.
She looked and looked, then looked again.
Again;

Then suddenly turned

And quickly left where she had entered.