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pinpricked hills hidden but to direct line of sight opening of a sudden on the looped and chained brilliants adorning my lady city's creased neck spilling across her tucked bosom confining the waist trailing away in ends behind her gentle feet the wide lapping round edge of the sea gown demarcates her influence hemline, shoreline – few bright wanderers thus late, ships heading in city lights are the stars brought down beneath her heavy-scented hair (dense blanketing afterglow of twilight tinted a warm color) the lowering of sights, instruction for keeping within bounds 
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contrast the stone maiden: high-domed desert chaste star-pointed woman single walking, sharpening night to a dry tang flaunting the bare footprint of her solitary joy power in lifted fingertips they wink and tremble with immensity her sand skirts abrade the loins and long corded thighs of the land geode makes her mirror, open-hearted split stone broken wide and polished for reflection crystal halves prisoning the kernel of freedom – a filigree discontent © 1990 by Beth Stevens |