Small Silver Fish

Turning Away

Illuminated by a candle and

The last light of evening

She sits before a latticed

Window

Preparing for the night

A mirror smoked with shadow

Looks back at her, mourning

From its place on the vanity

Watches as she unbuttons her

Blouse

And unclasps a delicate gold

Chain from her neck

Deeper in the house,in an unlit

Room

A man begins to play a piano

Softly

The woman closes her eyes

At the melodies first piercing

Notes

In song she makes a miracle

Of her voice

They sing together perfectly though

The music of the woman is
more poignant

For the freshness of feeling

Whenthe song spends itself

They fall mute as one

The lid of the piano is closed

And a last wooden beat

Cries through the house

She opens her eyes and looks

Away

From her image in the grey

Glass

Rises without haste

Her feet make no noise,

The cloth of her night dress Whispers

Softly

As the curtains  do when she

draws them down

The lace  hem of her skirt catches

For a moment as she turns

To face the silent house