Rose Maria Woodson

as though the sunset could be
merlot, chilled just
so beautifully, accidentally soft red
spilled, a fanned kimono
of breaking
light on the edge of coming
darkness,
as though departure would sigh &
pause against the soft green
skin of trees, an ombre of
absence holding for one
round, sound minute
any dream,
any dream we
pin our breath to,
as though it were
the perfect
corsage on this
organza life,
as though we should be
dancing, lanced in starlight
all
while the night
scissors
in hand
is running towards us

Rose Maria Woodson is an MFA candidate at Northwestern University. She has been published in numerous journals including African American Review, Blossombones, Ariel XXIII, Paradigm, Melusine, Quantum Poetry Magazine, Foliate Oak, Wicked Alice, OVS Magazine, Magnolia: A Journal of WomenÕs Socially Engaged Literature, Volume II and Jet Fuel Review.