She lately hates her teeth, and can’t abide
the image that her photograph arrests.
Her pose before a mirror shows the side
that she prefers; in shop-glass, face and chest
don’t look too bad, but cameras always still
her face and freeze her upper arms and stance.
The compositions nearly make her ill –
she’d sooner close her eyes than chance a glance.

It’s true. She’s getting old. Her face has grooves
beside her mouth and all around her eyes.
Her skin’s lost elasticity and proves
that 68’s not prime. But someone wise
and older yet took her aside to say:
“You’ll never be as young. Don’t waste today.”