Once upon a time

Once upon a time

Someone told

Me that a waltz with him

Would be the end

But we all know that that prompted the flappers and

world war

to hear them talk

children laughing, the

teasing is and has

 new

meaning -shame

on the school bus, in the

pool,

like the endless

blue veins of a child

covered with foundation

then walls, windows

women

thrown out

the neighbors

roll the garbage bins

back to my house

wife, mother, blues dancing

does it fit?

too tight, Slut

Jezebel, they used to say,

wear leggings, cover up

Don’t be out late

Be careful

When did

that start, When did

 they stop

encouraging

Delighting

in

Careless chatter

Wild rambles

under the moon

underage

Now we go

Edge of minivan warnings

Swallow

This pill, little thing, ignore the label

Pretty young things,

Did they ever exist,

just and only

obsessed

About tags and knife thin heels

A myth like the amazon

Slicing off her breast

As if

It were that simple