I.

In centuries past,
women seldom moved fast,
preferring to spend
hours on end
staring at pools,
stretching on stools,
or sitting on swings.
Now and then, they had flings
and were equally stirred
by a man or large bird.
If they did need to race –
to hunt deer or outpace
vicious hordes – they took care
that their clothing and hair
would cover, at best,
one perky breast.

II.

For generations, men were super jacked,
no doubt because they wanted to distract
observers from the fact that nearly all
their nether parts were vanishingly small.

III

Kids used to be mini adults,
with often impressive results –
even fresh from the womb
they could light up a room
and preside over sizeable cults.

Other children (nude, not a bit shy)
were great archers. I wish we knew why
they would soon have their fill
of that valuable skill
and, sadly, forget how to fly.

*****

Melissa Balmain writes: “Obviously, the museums and exhibits referenced in this poem are a specific breed—several of which I visited last summer during a heat wave in Paris. (Travel tip: if you’re looking for Louvre-quality art, but you’re running low on Euros, check out the Petit Palais. Not only is it free, it’s air-conditioned.)”

First published in Lighten Up Online.

Melissa Balmain edits Light, North America’s longest-running journal of comic verse, and teaches writing at the University of Rochester.  Her poems and/or prose have appeared in Crab Orchard Review, Ecotone, The Hopkins Review, Literary Matters, McSweeney’s, The New Yorker, The New York Times, Nimrod, Poetry Daily, and Rattle. Her latest book of poetry is Satan Talks to His Therapist (Paul Dry Books). 

Illustration: Boucher, François – Le Repos des nymphes au retour de la chasse, dit Le Retour de chasse de Diane – J 10 – Musée Cognacq-Jay