She played with the sun-gods
in shadows
under the poplar.

Thin leaves
made even thinner shadows
and her face
was the face
of a leopard
underneath.

When she finally got up
after her fingers cramped up
from playing
in the hair
of the sun-gods
she had a brown smear
on the seat of her dress.

She'd slipped on the dress
without *******.

Her cheeks pulled
the dress into its mouth,
closer to her *******.