The
Girls
From a Hudson River School landscape, “Second
Beach, Newport”
1878-1880, by Worthington Whittredge
Rows of whitewash curl in
On the lup-lup of lake
The color of… the color of…
Little girls, ironed cotton dresses
Grasped at their thighs
Hats of straw, orange ribbon drags
Skin inexperienced, warm
Arriving waters tickle ankles
Teeth colliding, dogs
Yapping, dots of wet
Appear on white dresses
Giggling, gnashing of teeth
In the sky: Escalades of puffs
The way of clouds when calm
All the while, colors are confused
There is no conversation
Curling along path of waves
Splashing, snarls, snitters
I cannot name them—the colors
But the dogs, the girls!
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