Every Pore and Follicle

Teenagers stare at themselves so long and hard,

scan their faces and bodies

with such extended, scrupulous attention

that they seem to be listening

even more than looking for some message

which if they are patient,

if they work hard enough at this self-study,

will finally arrive.

Every pore and follicle

of her pubescent body Humbert touched,

tasted, adored, imagined

even if he couldn’t physically reach it.

But it would be truer

to the facts of adolescence

to acknowledge this:

the person who devoured Lolita

was the hungriest eyes

was none other than Lolita.

Decades past adolescence,

we finally realize

there is no need to check

the mirroring regard that meets our gaze.

De-dissolved, the self stands up at last,

careless of scrutiny,

clothed in blurs and blemishes and lines

to an ambiguous greeting,

a slowly dawning welcome.