Hi Ryfkah,
I read this several times and enjoyed it more each time.  Love "child
gnarled in her arms."  I've been trying to work out whether the "left behind
skin" was a reference to the child, (the way the father apparently regarded
her as just sloughed-off skin) - or just to time passing.  I'm a bit of a
dope - it took me a while to realise that the child, Terry, is 21 at the
start of the poem.
Is the repetition of "scarlet" an indication that the mother and daughter
both have a less than perfect reputation - as in scarlet women?  The
addition of the world's most expensive perfume seems to indicate that Rose
is not without a bob or two, which seems to support the scarlet woman
theory.
Not sure you need the introductory sermon.
bw
Laura


----- Original Message -----
From: Ryfkah * <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2001 4:45 AM
Subject: New Sub:


People who cheat in business, causing others financial loss;
People who exploit others after gaining their trust through deception;
People whose lies cause others to lose out on some gain or benefit that was
coming to them;
People who fabricate stories merely for the sake of lying;
People who hold out the promise of giving another person material goods
while
never intending to follow up on their promise;
People who intend to keep a promise but do not honor their commitment;
People who claim that they did a favor or a good deed for another when in
fact they have not;
People who praise themselves for virtues that they do not possess;
People who change minor details when retelling an episode  – Rabbeinu Yonah

The Severity of Lying

Seven years
of left behind skin
resting fallow
coming of age
Rose sets her scarlet lip
stick on mahogany tray
peers into mirror's
foggy memory

He claims he's out of town
working
Terry has a birthday
She's seven years old today
He promises ice
cream cake   a new Teddy
Rose dozes on the sofa
child gnarled in her arms

Terry is fourteen
He turns up at front door
brings her a bear
a cake   and a grin
She blasts Blink 182
raps on the phone
paints toes scarlet

Rose at her vanity
splashes Joy
waits for tonight's date

Ryfkah 8-23-01