Diva Heart in Denial
Her heart was not one that accepts age as
progress toward wisdom a crown of silver
Hot flashes were mere preludes
In tinny wraps, her stylish tinted glints of
highlights, long tresses still brisking bare shoulders
in waves of tragic peroxide passion
The insidious flaps under arms, on her belly,
her lazy limbs and gut splitskinned and resewn
A Bonwit Teller Raggedy Ann
French tip the perfect nails; affix false lashes:
Color her vivid. Boy Toy Nick not allowed to drift far
He stands flexed, assurance of her youth, her comeliness
She will not go gentle into that good night
but brittle, breakable, frightened, but
always with a mirror at hand
© 2012 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
For the Sunday Whirl (Wordle belw; thanks, Brenda!) and Trifecta, which wanted a poem about heart as personality or disposition. Also at my poetic salon, where we’re all GORgeous, Poets United. I’ve known women of means who have had their faces lifted so many times, their noses begin to turn inside out, a slight ring around each nostril.
Sharp Little Pencil 
El Guapo
Great one!
Very poignant.
Lance
I like how defiant this is to be feminine and sassy. There’s tremednous depth is (her) fighting the fight.
This reminds me of my daughters, especially the youngest
Roger Green
Yes, keep the fight going anyhoo!
lmkazmierczak
aging gracefully….a bit of any oxymoron doncha think?
vivinfrance
Isn’t disgracefully more fun? You know you’ve gone too far when the navel becomes a nostril!
brian miller
ha….i hope i age gracefully….today i entered my last year in the 30s…ugh…where did time go…oh yeah there it is…in the crease corner of my eye…and the few pounds i need to drop…ha….
Sarav
Whoowee! You blasted the doors off with that one! The ending is absolutely fantabulous–you know how to call it 🙂
Ruby Manchanda
Real good writing here
jannatwrites
There are so many good phrases in here (chuckled at the tragic peroxide passion). It’s only a matter of time before she brings out the big guns (botox and silicone :))
Jae Rose
Made me think of the film Brazil..grey and arm flaps are badges of honour..jae
Annabelle
Great last line, and so much good language throughout. Well done.
Sherry Blue Sky
Oh this is so well captured…but what is really scary is the inside-out nose! Yoiks!!!!!
lumdog
I love her attitude. And all those descriptive words provide great imagery.
Old Egg
What incredible sadness there is in this piece. The fight to achieve immortality can look so ridiculous to those that accept life is beautiful in all it’s seven ages. Is a wrinkle less worthy of love that a baby’s smile? Your words were so telling.
Hannah Gosselin
So sad. Amy, you really have a gift…your characters are so see-able. Well written. 🙂
Norma Ruttan
ouch!
I’ve entered my 7th decade and I either accept nature’s joke or behave like your lady of the poem. I choose to accept because I am well-loved and that’s more important than what the mirror reflects back to my eyes.
My blog is http://scrappygrams.blogspot.com
Trifecta (@trifectawriting)
I love the way I could picture the underneath her from your words. The old, stretched, broken down, scared her. Nice work. Thanks for linking up. Be sure to come back tomorrow for the new prompt.
Polly Robinson
Wonderful imagery ~ your words describe a simple truth ~ we see her through your words, sad yet identifiable
sandra tyler
just love that last verse. That’s me as I edge on 50!
kaykuala
Aging is a process, the same for everybody. Whether we can age decently and gracefully maintaining our dignity is of significance.This may appear strange but I’ve seen the debilitating effects of dementia that makes me want to puke. It may turn out to be a lot of things unhygienic. Great imagery Amy!
Hank
julespaige
I do know some like your Mme. I like how you used ‘Nick’. New words out, but I’m not looking until I glance at a few more from last week…
I shall not go gently – but I shall leave the mirror at home. 🙂
I’m here (rather last week anyway):
http://julesgemsandstuff.blogspot.com/2012/08/sw-70-feathers-flights-and-foundlings.html
Jack
I echo what Old Egg said, there is a bit of sadness here. A losing fight is sad to me, I guess. Verses two and three were fantastically built, deprecating but defiant.
Mary
I could really picture this woman, Amy. A sad caricature. I truly do not know why women do ALL these things to themselves thinking that they become more attractive. I think, for the most part, they all the falseness makes them look like cartoon characters. Methinks they have too much time and money on their hands and hang around with the wrong people! Smiles.
Kerry O'Connor
This is such a topical theme, and coincidentally I saw a picture of Sylvester Stallone’s mother in a magazine today. Apparently she is 90, but is trying to look like someone in their 30s. It’s a travesty of nature.
Eileen T O'Neill
Amy,
I can only conclude that the subject in your poem must be a celebrity, possibly Z-lister:) Such a pre-occupation these days, while trying to halt the progress of nature.
I could see the sad image as I read your poem.
Eileen
Audrey Howitt
I sing professionally in the classical world–you have hit the nail on the head–unfortunately–it is a sad world for the aging diva
Lindy Lee
The dewy, soft, taught skin of youth fades entirely too quickly but resolve to be alive to witness another day. Red lipstick doesn’t stick any more. Mascara can’t find eyelashes. Facts unattractive to reality…
zongrik
French tip perfect nails and the lashes – i think i know her