women in portrait

You suggest I go high maintenance
Pluck and shave and exfoliate
Trim and shape and detoxify
So I can get on in life
Even at my age

You express concern
At my uneven skin tones
The delicate baggage under my eyes
Suggest a more flattering hair style
Something along the lines of an urchin cut

How often did I smile?
Did I arrange my dress to blend in?
Or was it a substitute for a religious habit
The neckline was dire you said
Aged me beyond whatever my real age was

You did compliment on my still poise
The lack of mobility in my stare
Even when the cock crowed incredibly loudly at twenty past two
I just think of cold places
Wait for the paint to dry