Today I lost my allure; br br it left me on 42 avenue br br where I stood br br my two breasts i surmised br br had sucummbed another inch to gravity br br and this had been noticed by the hard hats br br who measure such things. br br and the lines that lined my face advanced another millimeter br br now visible for them to see br br where such sensiitivity exists br br to every crease and furrow br br in us women br br that we can hear stage-whispers br br from sidewalk auidences of young men that br br say 'who is the old broad' br br as we wrangle our younger self- image br br and bring it to the fore and silently br br self-whisper 'who are they talking about': br br but you know its you and you have br br left the realm of hot and young br br and merged into the realm of somebody's mother. br br But I will not remain in that frozen world. br br I will mount the fight to retard the advancing lines br br and reassert that I still have a young girl beaming br br inside. br br But they demur and I am exiled from the young enclave br br to that of mom's and hotness retired. br br I grieve.