Subject to Change by Marilyn L. Taylor

Subject to Change
by
Marilyn L. Taylor

They are so beautiful, and so very young

they seem almost to glitter with perfection,

these creatures that I briefly move among.

I never get to stay with them for long,

but even so, I view them with affection:

they are so beautiful, and so very young.

Poised or clumsy, placid or high-strung,

they're expert in the art of introspection,

these creatures that I briefly move among—

And if their words don't quite trip off the tongue

consistently, with just the right inflection,

they remain beautiful. And very young.

Still, I have to tell myself it's wrong

to think of them as anything but fiction,

these creatures that I briefly move among—

Because, like me, they're traveling headlong

in that familiar, vertical direction

that coarsens beautiful, blackmails young,

and turns to phantoms those I move among.

Marilyn L. Taylor, former Poet Laureate of Wisconsin and the city of Milwaukee, is the author of three full-length collections of poetry (most recently, Outside the Frame: New and Selected Poems) and five poetry chapbooks. Her essays and poems have appeared in numerous anthologies and journals and she has been awarded First Place in several national, international, and regional poetry competitions. Marilyn is a member of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets and the Wisconsin Writers Association, and currently serves as an Associate Editor for the Third Wednesday and Verse-Virtual poetry journals. Learn more about Marilyn who lives in Madison, Wisconsin, at www.mltpoet.com.

HazelGrammie:
Love!
Posted 09/17/2024 12:56 PM

EstherJ:
This is such a sweet poem.
Posted 09/17/2024 10:02 AM

Adriana:
Such a lovely, original, and smoothly-crafted perspective on fleeting youth
Posted 09/17/2024 09:04 AM

msruff@juno.com:
Beautiful piece.
Posted 09/17/2014 01:33 PM

Jo:
Well done--as always.
Posted 09/17/2014 10:56 AM

Charly:
Excellent!
Posted 09/17/2014 08:23 AM

mimi:
oh yes, excellent and true!
Posted 09/17/2014 07:20 AM

jeanie:
yay marilyn! wonderful poem!
Posted 09/17/2014 06:51 AM

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