Behind, through and around the hustle,

overshadowing the artifacts of movers’ and shakers’

forsaken, weathered and new-found dreams,

she asserts her prior claims.

 

Too busy showing off, showing up,

making up, making do, to notice?

Too bad. She weighs in on both sides

of your tidy ledger. Profit or lose.

 

Wish her, push her, scheme her away,

however you like.

When you’re done and gone,

she’ll still be playing around,

just as her fancy suits her.

 

You’ll stand up, run ahead and fall down,

no matter. She’ll do what she wants,

sometimes simply to put you in your place,

leaving you at best scratching your head.

 

Your outland cousins, on a good day,

have a clearer take with a lot less effort,

look down your nose, as you may.

Whatever. All is not lost.

Just stop, for starters.

Look. Listen. Soon enough you’ll see.

Modesty has never been her strong suit.