As if dressed
for her first communion
fierce and unflinching
determined in her task
attacking his boot
furiously buffing the leather
anger consuming her
pushing her thick arm
deep into its depths
getting a good grip on it
no delicacy here
no feminine fragility
daddy’s girl
doing her duty
but daddy doesn’t know
what passion lurks
behind those downcast eyes
defiance in the set of her jaw
suggestive of a sneer
her features harsh
and angular
matching the hard lines
and surfaces
of her surroundings
pure and unmarked
despite the ungirlishness
of the task
her arm almost swallowed
a surprisingly good fit
for that big man’s boot
ready for duty now
out on those dark streets
beyond the window