FOR A WOMAN YOUR AGE

I used to hear it said about other women
may have said it myself even as the catch
would come into my throat and open
a small space where a twinge of pain
screamed destiny! inevitability! Just
a tiny moment before the blessed
relief of denial dropped back into place
to let me go on pretending that the day
would never come. Today it came
in the voice of my lover who spoke
the words as if they were a compliment
as if I should be grateful for this at least
as if any woman is ever really ready
for those dreaded words: You still look great
for a woman your age.

© Joan Barton, 1998

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