The Lavender Lover in Her Throat

Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem 

My Karen had a voice of purple parts,

Or violet, when singing in her sly

Range alto.  Velvet changed to gorgeous darts

When Karen sang of love.  When sex made thigh

Appearances in vocal lines, the hue

Became an amethyst of facets bright

With every orchid shade.  An almost blue

One turned the vocals into jazz-bar night.

It was as if her voice wore black sheath dress

Shapes — hugging singing like a corset. Then

Performance made a silly, silly mess

Of thin sopranos.  She bewitched the men.

  A mauve of silk and satin searched their ears.

    Men’s hearts became a smiling sort of tears.

~ Phillip Whidden