SHE WAS, BUT BY FIONA CUMMINGS

SHE WAS, BUT
BY FIONA CUMMINGS

She was a dancer
Some would say a bit of a chancer
Put her fingers in every sticky pudding
Got the guys, so good looking
A bit of a dare devil
When she entered a room
The men would swoon
She was so tall and elegant
With long auburn hair
There was no equivalent
Without looking, people knew she was there
Her perfume so sweet
She was the one your parents wanted to meet
Sparkling emerald eyes
Facial expression full of surprise
The way she walked
Her manner and how she talked
She was a real cutie
Turning into a true beauty
But as the years stole her looks
And her dancing was only seen through books
She removed all the mirrors in her house
Her lack of confidence made her like a mouse
No more party girl
No more ballerina swirl
Her hair without curls
She wasn’t one of the girls
Her red became pepper
And peaches and cream like leather
Her tall straight back was bent
Her men were all spent
Around her beautiful jewel like eyes
You could see the lines
Her rose bud mouth
Had to be defined
She was a shadow of what was so fine
But what she had left, you can’t buy
Wisdom, knowledge and an interesting life
She’d been a daughter, girlfriend and wife
A Mother and Grandmother, friend and Aunt
Though now on the outside not so beautiful and bent
Deep within
An angel, heaven sent
Sit with her and have a coffee
Ask her anything and just see
The words will flow so poignant
Her shaking hands will need ointment
Her days of fun now are full of appointments
Doctors today and hospital tomorrow
But she will make you laugh
And give kind words for your sorrow
She will teach you things
That you never knew
Those long legs now so blue
Walked the lands
Shook hands
Full of gold and fame
Real life
She has played every game
Just sit with her and ask away
You will fill a full day
When she has long gone away
You will remember
The dancer, the chancer, the mother
She was, but!
© Fiona Cummings