Jade Princess

The little princess rests easily upon her shelf
Her green skin dressed in a layer of dust and grime
Guarding her small delicate body from notice
Carefully, I take her from the shelf, cupping her in my hands
With a cloth, I begin to slowly clear away the dust
Starting with her small umbrella, revealing the cranes dancing across it
Next comes her little jade slippers glistening and sparkling as I clean
Her green dress smooth and cold to the touch
Last comes the face, her smile beautiful and vibrant
Her hair pulled back, the artist emphasizing each strand
My hands shake as I take my figurine back to the desk
The customer stands there waiting for my princess,
Tossing a wad of bills on the desk, he watches the clock
He waits impatiently as I delicately wrap her in layers of paper
Grasping the Jade Lady in a large meaty hand, he leaves my store
The bell a hollow sign of a Princess' passage
Shadows gather in her abandoned hollow on the shelf.
With a sigh, I take back up the cloth and start clearing out the dust.