a cattail
in the center
of the island
of her cheek  

or perhaps  
a solitary
carousel horse

up                  up
       down                down

POOF!  

it disappears 
for a moment 
lost in the crevice
of a smile  

i suppress the urge to
reach out and grab it
with my pincher fingers

to give it
a tweak
a jerk

i resist
smile
nod

after all

that hair may be
rooted to a jawbone
wrapped and tangled
tied to a tooth

perhaps that beautiful 
hair extends to the 
depth of her soul

twists its mad self round
all that is truly her

a pluck of that hair could
cause instant death
as her soul slides
through the open pore

so i
just watch
that lone reed
sway in the wind
of her conversation