Vanilla

I am near 50
Watching my two
Granddaughters play
In my shallow backyard
Pool two feet deep at one
End five foot at the other end.
My sons and friends and family
Have used the pool for decades
As a cool spot on a hot Texas day
And it amuses the two little girls
Who have endless energy but
Need watching when one of
Them wanders out of the
House pretending to be
Forty instead of four
As she pretends to
Smoke an invisible
Cigarette sits by
Me on the cool
Shady porch
And asks if
I like her
Perfume
Of a few drops
Of vanilla seasoning
Dabbed behind each ear so
I say it is terribly sophisticated
Which brings a smile and a quick
Explanation that it is only vanilla
But I assure her she is sweet
Enough without the added
Scent and I remember a
Cartoon in a 1920s era
Fashion magazine of
A little girl sitting at
The dinner with her
Mother who has a
Pageboy haircut
And a skimpy
High dress
As the girl
Announces
“Well, I say it
Is spinach and
I say to hell with it!”