She was born on a Wednesday
for D.G.

i.
D'Anthra's gift
only pretty is a present, pretty as a present

in a package like one, packaged like one

is a smile a bow or sort of
an assortment of smiles and bows
bows in abundance

fingers and toes, inspected at birth
make certain all your tiny little parts
were in place

at 18, look again
to see that what should be added
is, was, has been
see that nothing's out of place

show up in my place like apparition
Dee to show up
because she eats the wrong things
because she is short and has fat genes

ii.
has she told you
what good friends we are
what good friends we are not
what good friends we were
what friends we were and are not now

all the differences between us
surfacing, arising
because of some other love affair
she is simultaneously caught up in


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2010
Written on Danielle’s 18 birthday,
between 11:45 a.m. and 4:40 p.m.
December 9, 2010