Friday, June 14, 2013

Ghosts in Plumage

Ziegfeld Girl 'Rose Delores' - by Alfred Cheney Johnston, ca 1920;
image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons


Ghosts with Plumage

With elegant, bedazzling chic
they sweep the stage in plumed mystique
each draped in glitter, sequins, pearls…
they are the ghosts of Follies girls.

Like birds of paradise, in hues
of plum, cerulean, chartreuse,
they captivate the dukes and earls…
they are the ghosts of Follies girls.
 
They’re statuesque; they’re full of grace;
‘though time’s moved on, there’s still a trace
of perfume, rouge and silken curls…
they are the ghosts of Follies girls.

At old show houses, you might chance
to catch the swirl of spectral dance.
Chorines' drift by in steps and twirls…
they are the ghosts of Follies girls.

With elegant, bedazzling chic…
they are the ghosts of Follies girls.

###


Notes: The form is Kyrielle Sonnet.  

The poem was prompted by the Thirty by Thirty Challenge theme of 'plum.'  

Going on from there, I searched for a plum (or even a plumage) quote to use as a possible epigraph, and found this: "I always loved fish for the colors and birds for the plumage.  In the same way, I loved those women of the cabaret.  They were birds of paradise," by Christien Louboutin.  I realized that his quote is really about true cabaret performers, so I didn't use it per se, but somehow, my mind made the leap to the Sondheim musical Follies, and hence Ghosts in Plumage.

6 comments:

  1. "‘though time’s moved on, there’s still a trace
    of perfume, rouge and silken curls…
    they are the ghosts of Follies girls."
    What a beautiful take on this prompt. I love this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! Years ago, when I was living in NY, I actually worked on a production of Follies. It is still one of my favorite shows.

      Delete
  2. Oh, my ... I think you've really outdone yourself with this one. Gorgeous, RJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I really appreciate your kind words! ♥

      Delete
  3. Wonderful poem, which suits that image beautifully!
    Madeleine Begun Kane

    ReplyDelete