On the Cusp

by Rose Mary Boehm


It’s hard to wait. You expect so much, and your mum
has it all. She’s got Dad, she’s got the dresses,
the shoes, the lipstick… and when she puts you to bed
at night before going out she smells of forbidden things.

And now you’re 12. You just looked and saw your potential.
You understood your power. And you tried on you sister’s
red dress. Those shoulders… yes. Just right. A little blusher,
Mum’s lipstick. Tame that hair with gel.

When you look again you have a premonition
of what lies in wait for young women and become quiet.
While remaining determined, you have a moment of doubt.
You don’t know yet that on day the dress will have to come off.


* * * * *

Rose Mary Boehm is a German-born British national living and writing in Lima, Peru, and author of two novels as well as seven poetry collections. Her poetry has been published widely in mostly US poetry reviews (online and print). She was twice nominated for a Pushcart. Do Oceans Have Underwater Borders (Kelsay Books, July 2022), Whistling in the Dark (Taj Mahal Publishing House July 2022), and Saudade (Kelsay Books, November 2022) are all available on Amazon.
https://www.rose-mary-boehm-poet.com/