for Amber, in the lights

I was about to terminate my profile on MySpace.com today...I get tired of the spam notes and my interests aren't really in high gear on there...

then I got a message this evening from a young lady named Amber. She's a dancer who is going to be appearing in a local club this week, and she was inviting me to attend her show.

Not my cup of tea. Besides, I figured it was just another generic spam approach...

But, my Momma raised me right, so I sent her a respectful decline.

And she wrote back, thanking me for the respect and expressing her regret we wouldn't meet.

So, I wrote her back and thanked her for reaffirming my confidence that there are some real people out there (yes, dancers are as real as other people, trust me, I ran with a colourful crowd in Los Angeles...musicians, writers, pornstars, actors and even a few Republicans...)

and I wrote her this poem:

for Amber, in the lights

I saw you in my mind's eye tonight
swaying to rhythms not normally thought of
as rhythms to sway to.
but you had a feline grace
and a smile on your face
of gentle detachment
that men always misread
as a need for their attention.

and you are beautiful
and many will go home tonight
and see your face when they close their eyes
in a dark room
with the woman whom
they wouldn't admit to where they were
or what they were thinking
just a few hours ago.

and you know
that a hot shower
and a pair of oversized socks
will make the day fade
until you are just another girl
stepping from stone to stone
in the rapid rivers of time.
even in the lights.


William F. DeVault. all rights reserved.

Thanks for the inspiration, Amber.