Cheryl Dellasega, CRNP, PhD

DRESSING ROOM WITHOUT CURTAINS

They pose.
Young bodies mirrored to infinity.
Curves defined by underwire.
They model,
Clothes dangling price tags like jewelry.
They pirouette,
As spotlights touch their hair with gold.

My daughter.
Knows this drill.
Reaching to a row of costumes,
Trying each, then discarding.
The pile of castoffs grows while
I hover,
A voyeur in the doorway,
Dazzled by the bright hard image
Of girl on girl on girl.

–from Rattle #28, Winter 2007

§ 2 Responses to “Dressing Room Without Curtains” by Cheryl Dellasega

• cynthia says:

  July 14, 2008 at 6:38 am

  So impressed by this poem and the sensory responses to a “typical” scene, rendering it atypical. Only one concern that editors should have caught: “the pile of castoffs grows” not grow. It’s the singular pile that grows as the castoffs multiply.

  Reply
• Tim says:

  July 14, 2008 at 11:22 am

  You’re right, Cynthia — thanks for pointing that out. I don’t know how I missed it.

  Reply