Velveteen Curtains:

The curtain falls
the face of a girl huffs
Her red checks are
like stamped on rose petals
smeared across cement sidewalks

The audience applauds
Encore!
the screams drape like a foxes fur
over her shoulder blades
settling in like thunder, hail, and rumbling gravel dancing over train tracks

Her body aches
toes bleed through pink slippers
stray hairs stick to painted rogue lips
mind races to the pianos tempo
starched tulle skirts pressed up and out
toes pointed, back arched, knees locked tight
eyes peeking between
the creases in the velveteen curtains
searching for the boy

The boy who made her smile
was a lair,
who said their affair was right
because it felt right
took her hand and jumped off
Huntington Pier with her
just so she could feel
the wind in her hair