Silvery clouds tinged with pink
light up the late afternoon.
Before the sun can sink
below palms of sparkling green.
Effervescent green palms
lined up in a row.
Viewed through sunset calm
makes everything glitter below.
Now the pink is interlaced with
salmon
gradually the silver fades.
Turning black as a gamine
whose filthy face does evade.
Palms turning dark
in the fading light
their glimmer shows not a mark
and they are not a fright.
Because their natural beauty
cannot be patterned after all, they
have no ruse.
Therefore their honesty is always
apparent
no matter the light.
© 1999 by Rosemary Winters Tracey
