Lara’s Glance

Lara’s Glance

By

Jon Presco

More exciting then the sight
Of my dapple mare
running wild
in the spring grassy rain
near the crags of Londonderry
was the sight of my Lara
looking sideways at me

Like the warmth rising
from within my woolen coat
soaked through in a sudden
shower
are my feelings rising
for this Irish Lass
Who through the veil
of other lifetimes
ignored the patient attention
of her handsome suitors

Lining up to behold her
they showed me their profiles
like greyhounds
sensing someone outside
the hunt;
had caught her fancy
Their young lust made more noble
In the presence of her perfection

Lara’s animation
had cast a spell over our town
This shiny bright being
conducted this most ancient play
with eyes that danced and sparkled
Like beams of light
caught on a breaking wave
Or gems captured
in a brook that trickle
out of a dark shaded wood

There was a silver sheen
under her wide-set eyes
Her long lashes
were like banners
waving
Sending errant knights
on foreign crusades
For there could only be
one champion of her heart

Sensing my eyes
were upon her,
More then weighing her beauty
but her young womanly soul
She bid her long tapered arms
to dance
As playful as swans
who mate for life
She teased us all
with her promise
that one day
one of us would have her

But until that vow
little girls admired
the fine curls in her
dark brown hair
that framed
her joyful smile
that flirted with everything
that beat blood through
an Irish heart.

She was our drummer
our flute
and the setting sun that
Chose to break thru
The heavy ceiling
of our darkest clouds
no gray pall
Nor sorrow
ever cast a shadow
on our Lara

Some claim she
gave them a wondrous wink
But when she
turned that day
to look fully at me
There was no smile on her lips
no movement of her arms
that had fallen to her side
to allow me to see
I was the one
And never again would
my Lovely Lara
look sideways at me