She loathed the memories of her youth
Seeing one who rarely aged
Made her parsimonious
Cutting her eyes at her
Examining every inch of her
Perfectly crafted hips
I remember having legs that
Wrapped around for days
She said in between drags
Of her cigarette butt
While dusting off old portraits
Of her small and fragile frame
A glint of pride sparkled in her eyes
She chuckled at the sight of her
White teeth that have now yellowed
With years of smoke build up
Acid and coffee lingering on
Her chapped bottom lip
She adjusts her tattered wig
Smoothing it with her callous, veined hands
Searching for judgment
In the young one's eyes
Not finding a drop
As her smile widens
In awe of the woman
She never encountered
Reassuring her
Of her past radiance
It was only then that she realized
Her glory days
Were quite remarkable.
— Tye Jiles, Vintage Recollection