Self-Portrait

Straight, wispy blonde hair
blue eyes, large, best feature—
healthy limbs, muscles that
defined themselves on a Schwinn bike,
on monkey bars, in Charles’ Trees,
bareback on Rebel or Venus or Big Red.

Shorts sets–—striped short-sleeved tees,
pull-up elastic-band pants in matching solid—
Nothing frilly, nothing pink, no looks in the mirror.

Teeth, buck, often reminded
by beautiful siblings,
all of us islands in our ocean
at home.

Legs—summer brown, scarred.
Covered with
mosquito bites, over scratched.
Winter, wrapped in ski pants,
gliding up and down, up and down
Rocky Mountain slopes.

A broken finger, stupid trigger
on that air gun.

Perfume—Eau de Horse Hair,
Dog Slobber, Cat Musk, Sand,
Pre-Puberty Sweat.

Born homely
Born lonely
Born sad
Born anxious.

As though
prescient of what lurked
on the murderous edge of the time.