Vanity

Your last stanza was spectacular. You have a talent for endings. The simplicity and meter of the last stanza reminded me a bit of William Carlos Williams....whom I love. The rest of the poem was also very good--you paint images well and I liked the 'ADMISSION DENIED' stop-break.

Beginning: You became frustrated with yourself because you kept glancing his way, trying to find his whereabouts throughout the night when you shouldn't have been wasting your time. You thought he would return quickly, so you waited...and waited.. only to realize he was completely distracted by everything and everyone else when his only focus should have been on you!

"so well in you invisible bubble"

- you should be your.

I interpret this part that maybe he is surrounded by business partners and friends and is totally engrossed in his "bubble" that he isn't aware that you are even there anymore. Maybe at times you have tried to go over and include yourself only to be completely ignored. You felt out of the loop and uncomfortable, he should have sensed that and done everything he could to make you feel at ease.

I love how you added the admission denied in caps! It gives that shock factor like "Did he really just deny me in front of these people?" ... or maybe they denied you? Making you feel unworthy of their presence.

Middle: Once he got intoxicated, he remembered that you were around somewhere and he needed to 'tend' to you. That's a horrible feeling, to be second best and only to be thought of when it's of their own convenience.

I like the use of painted smile, it shows how fake he truly is.

Ending: I absolutely LOVE the ending. It's the perfect 'screw you' moment! Like yes, I did wait on you, but now when you want MY attention, kiss it as I walk out the door! especially since I picture this scene as maybe he took you to a fancy dinner party with all of his colleagues...hence why he left you for his circle... and then you completely humiliated him by walking out the door with another man! Love it. Great ending.

I became impatient
(with myself)
when my glance
once more, sought
you out...

- I like the bracketed information as I think it always emphasises a point to the reader, and in this case it was just how impatient you had grown with yourself, which we can all relate to!

for

you worked the room
so well in you invisible bubble
that did not include
me.

- you = your*
- I liked this little description of the bubble, perhaps you had tried for a long time to be part of it but never felt adequate enough for it. I begin to wonder if the bubble was invisible, or if in fact, you yourself, began to feel invisible. I get the tone of someone thinking they are better than all others here.

ADMISSION DENIED

and yet...

as your champagne glass
grew empty
the magical sphere
burst and, once more
your painted smile remembered
I existed but...

- comma after empty.
- I take this to mean that when there is nothing else "better" on offer, these people then turn back to the ones they looked down on just minutes before. They do not want to be alone, or have nothing, so when they feel there is nothing left, they return to settling for "less" more than nothing. A very typical part of real life. You portrayed this well here. The painted smile shows how fake they can be.

as you sauntered towards me
I realised...the man dressed in
black was far more interesting
than you'd ever be so...

reclaiming my wrap I left with
the Doorman.

- Great ending, kind of asserting your self, your worth, and your pride. You do not settle for what you thought you wanted, or wanted to be good enough for. Instead, you realise that you deserve more, and will not settle for someone who does not appreciate you like they should.

I imagined this scene to be: you in a club, very busy with people, this guy that you thought you liked, was giving everyone else attention but you, until everyone else left, then he turned to you as a last resort. But it was then too late and you picked someone else over him. I then got an image of you both leaving him behind so he was the last one in the club, alone.

Man... I think way toooo much lol.

Love the twist at the end and the 'one-upmanship'

just as you begin to feel sorry for her, she turns the tables.

I also like how light it all feels, no flannel just quick bullet points that tell the story well.

nice write.