Poetics: You and your effing pink gown

You and your effing pink gown

Oh, I remember this
and it makes me suspic-
ious of you to this
day: how you played
that old lady like the
harpy she was (no
disrespect to the aged
intended, for she was
what she was
way before
she was
that old lady we
called Grandma
to please our strange
stepfather who we
called Daddy). That was
as much pleasing as
I was willing to do,
but not you who,
after weeks of her
hinting and then outright
stinting her usual
snaky smiles over the Sun-
day dinner table,
surprisingly said that
if you were still able,
if her offer (bribe)
still stood,
that you would love
to join The "Rainbow Girls"
as the adults in our family
dreamed we both would.

Ah, it pleased that
Order-of-the-Eastern-Star-
old-lady and she turned her
"Elizabeth Taylor back"
on me and wrote a check
for your fucking formal
gown.

On the afternoon of
the evening when you would
be sworn in and sent over
the rainbow or whatever
enchanted realm with who-
cares-how-many points of
light you were about to
be privy to or honored with
or crowned by, my mother
(your mother too) told me
that pictures would be
taken out front before
Daddy drove you to
fairytale land in your
goddamned gown — and I
think our mother warned me
to smile and not
frown.

I got ready for the shot —
Yes I did! — (and if I had
had access I probably would
have downed a shot). Then I
stood next to you in your
pink formal gown and painted
fingernails — laughed in
my tight cut-offs and long
pigtails — thinking I
never felt freer,
while making a bet with
myself:  how long would
you flit over the phony
rainbow before phoning
the old lady
we called Grandma
(etiquette prescribed by
your mother), thus
quitting for this-
or-that-reason, then
hanging in your closet
your ready-for-prom-
gown.

The me
who bet one
month won,
hands down.



Written for Poetics — The Art of Rebellion  — at dVerse Poets. Our host, Stu McPherson, wrote a marvelous post with these instructions:

This week I want you to write a rebellious poem!

•     A poem about an inspirational rebel (could be anyone from a friend to a family member to a historical figure)
•     A poem that breaks FORM, write something in a completely unusual form that is a departure from your usual style- write REBELLIOUSLY!
•     A political poem about rebellion- hell, there is ENOUGH going on in the world right now! Poverty? Elections? The environment? War? Write about something you feel strongly about
•     A poem about rebellion that is ironic/funny/humorous (for example- oh my, I’ve been so REBELLIOUS, I ate a chocolate bar that has taken me 47 calories over my daily limit)  
  You could even write a love poem about rebellion! Love can be rebellious right?

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