Elegant lines chased in black
against a porcelain white.
Lady, standing all alone,
who’s your lover tonight?
Half-turned and prepared,
perhaps to smile or refrain,
those and more are jealous,
would you dance with the likes of us?
Daughter Aphrodite, cool and shy,
would your auburn head turn
to come and stay awhile?
Pretty little lady,
dressed in black,
remember this is temporary,
whilst you stay in best dress.
Jealous and admiring – a good ambivalence on the part of the narrator. We still don’t know anything about this lady in black except her exterior and what we see from our perspective.