Red dress in NOLA - 1

 
the streets  
felt like an  
empty stomach  
after Halloween
 
so much darkness  
after a night
of explosive beauty  
left the emotional belly
growling, as if  
something in the  
humid air went  
missing  
 
I saw her crying  
in the alcove  
of a closed store
off Bienville Street
 
She wore a red dress
and her entire being shook  
as she burrowed
her face in the phone
 
crouched on the
edge of the curb
as if sorrow had
eaten her body,
and collapsed  
her shoulders
like an internal
sinkhole
 
I was entranced
 
her hair was  
dark brown
and it spoke  
because she didn’t
she just wept  
as if she were the  
leading lady  
in every Greek tragedy;
the beautiful maiden
the star crossed lover
the tragic death
 
And I,
alive
and sparkling  
and dancing  
paused only  
long enough to
be entranced  
 
I didn’t stop to take  
a picture,  
I just snapped over
my shoulder
to catch her shadow
 
so that I didn’t  
have to  
see myself  
reflected in that
wretched beauty  
 
on an  
empty street.