Brown Hair And Green Eyes Poem by Samah Khan

I watched you from a distance-a maiden lost at sea-
(Hardly fair or bewitching to one as amply endowed as thee)
But how could I avoid the olive brown skin-your motions so lithe-
The brown hair which fell over deep sea-green eyes?

You ne’er glanced my way but once-
Caught me in mid-stare and smiled
Courteous gentleman looked at a lady dunce
You turned away and I sighed, beguiled.

May I propose a prose to your hair?
The coarseness of which lies betwixt softness and rough pagan locks-
Falling serenely-unknown to it is my plight-on skin so fair
And bounces over your head in a way that shocks

Your eyes-what may I say of them (being a gentle lady-not a bold commoner) ?
Warm-with chips of golden, which dance when merry-and spark when enraged
Languorously slumberous and I feel my heart begin to stir
Your one look has left my burning skin grazed

Boots made of steel eat the noise of the smooth floor,
As you walk towards me, green eyes pleasantly confused
I smile with baser instincts than one of my birth might possess
But what can I call it (save instincts) when but a look has left me thus bruised?

You lean over my hand and place the perfunctory kiss-
Managing to muster your disgust into a look of delight-
Ah but for a cactus to (for once) feel beautiful, so she may not miss
What the pretty daffodils by the pond-side (as a rule) invite

Hours go by in pleasant verses-you and I have much in common-
But perhaps here too the wistfulness speaks-
Foolish for one of my looks and naïve skills to even envision
Being loved by one, who of enchantment reeks

Brown hair and marble clear eyes-smile that has me captured
Do not torment my foolish young heart any longer with your lingering
For I know when you leave my side it’ll be to have another lass enraptured
I cannot-do not-deserve thy hair and thy eyes and thy light (gentlemanly) fingering

Do not touch me, be it to hold my hand, or simply do what all charmers do-
I fear I might fall faint in a fanciful frenzy to the cold floor
And it might knock some sense into me-and I will steer clear of you
Ending a dream that barely began a voyage lost at sea-before someone found shore

Now you ask me if I would care to dance
I’d miss Haley’s comet-but not this chance
I smile politely, acquiesce with a nod
And as you turn to lead me, my grin grows broad

I dreamt a little dream
About a man with brown hair and eyes emerald green
And a smile that brightened my fluttering heart
And tore my tormented insides apart

You lead the steps to a juggernaut
Each graceful move, a panther, imitates
Intimate smiles and bold glaring eyes,
Turquoise eyes that sealed our fates

And it was in that one moment that I felt beautiful
Felt worth beyond comprehension
Life’s little mysteries-and I did not care whether it was deliberate-
Or a kindly young man showering a plain lass some kindly attention

I do not know what will happen when this ends
All I know is I want the bliss of the present to erase everything else
Perhaps you will lead me out and start a courtship; perhaps we will just be friends
Or mayhap I will never see that brown hair or those green eyes again