Violet eyes

The girl with violet eyes, in a black and white photo, framed.
I knew her from years ago, a life ago, before the flooding sea.
She danced with me, by riverbanks, under a willow tree -
But that's the last I saw of her, she was taken, she was shamed.

She danced without authority, authority raged.
They hoped to bind her, legs and arms, but she danced too wild.
All at once a mother, wife, sister, spinster, child.
Until the day they caught her. She was dragged down; caged.

I saw her many years later, she lay alone and still.
Her vibrant violet eyes were by then a faded grey,
Not the same woman, her spirit leached away.
She whispered "I will dance again". I thought "She never will."

But that was all an age ago, before the flooding sea
Washed life into the land again, brought back the good and wise.
Colour flooded into her beautiful violet eyes,
And now again, she dances with me, she dances with me.