Shy Heart
by Sondra Ball
The woman walks through the doorway,
hangs her winter coat in the hall,
enters the crowded party room,
and stops, leaning hard on the wall.
So many people are talking;
she wonders if she ought to stay.
She spies a chair near the fireplace,
and weaves her way slowly that way.
She grabs a drink from a table
she passes on way to the chair,
where she sits down very softly,
hoping no one will see her there.
Or maybe hoping they will see,
and cross over to say "hello".
This time, she'll say all the right things;
her chatter will sparkle and glow.
The woman looks through the long room.
A young man peers out at the trees;
sitting alone by a window,
looking almost as scared as she.
He glimpses her way, and she smiles,
and hopes he'll come over and stay;
but hoping also that something
will happen to keep him away.
He rises and walks toward her.
Her heart skips a beat as he nears.
She's glad that he wants to see her,
but his coming feels her with fear.
He draws a chair to the fireplace
and begins to tell of his dreams.
Her shyness wins over her longing.
She rises and flees from the scene.
             copyright 1997 sondra ball
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 þ SLMR 2.1a þ The world is a beautiful book, for those who can read it.
--- Opus-CBCS 1.7x via O_QWKer 1.7 
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