L'aura del Campo

Memories of Neva Blair and "Lipstick"

An old scribble


Lipstick

         for Carol and Neva

She lines her lips with gloss,
coral lambdas leaning towards her lady
lover all these forty years.
Long years
of loneliness and isolation wrought with tears
from being bruised by those who tried to blame her,
frame her with those cold harsh names:
dyke, queer.
Fear aimed to shame two women,
two who hugged each other through the night,
not just by day.

Her lover's lips are moist and eager.
Her coral lips respond.

© Kåre Enga 2007 [163.547]

Edited slightly again. Ratable/reviewable at: "Lipstick" 

Re-sketching it out:

This poem was based on Carol's comment that she was a lipstick lesbian. She and Neva had been together over 40 years when I wrote it. Times had changed, but they were still careful. Neva had dementia and at 83 her health was failing. They were also very poor and options were few.

Neva's obituary: http://www2.ljworld.com/obits/2009/dec/30/neva-blair/

Neva was very sweet. Carol? Crusty! But... very protective of Neva.This picture used for her obit shows her radiance:



I spoke to Carol today. Their song, kd lang's cover of "The air that I breathe":



Me and Mine:

Café Allegro has been around awhile in the University District of Seattle, Washington. Tucked behind a bookstore in an alleyway, it is well-known and crowded.

I was surprised though when someone walked up to me and said they knew me. Yep. The Missoula connection! So chatted with Margi (hard g) and then with Cornelia and Daniella.

Seattle was dreary, but I did get to see Mt. Ranier. And the day was mild and not drippy. Took photos of campus, a covered scooter I'd love to own, University Avenue and flowers... yes, pansies and camellias were in bloom. Rain comes in tonight.

Well, that was yesterday. Today, Cynthia dragged me out to the Hitching Post Cafe which has very good biscuits-and-gravy and moist ab-fab cornbread. Tomorrow the owners are off to Brasilia, Brasil. In the mean time Cynthia beat me in Scrabble in a close game.

Tomorrow? I dunno. Need to check bus schedules, make phone calls, decide... I want to go to California.

Washington: 46º and damp outside Monroe at 5 p.m.

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