Purple Dress, 1945
written by: Fay L. Loomis
she wears hand-me-down
saved for special occasion
to Sunday school picnic
solid purple dress
soft, bumpy
crepe, mom said
wide-eyed, she and sister feast:
buns made just for hotdogs,
potato chips, red pop
gazelle girls
arms, legs giddy
gambol across picnic tables
leg crashes through rotted board
she screams, tentacle-armed
ladies yank child, drop to ground
teacher shrills: good lord!
has the devil gotten hold of you,
made you misbehave?
should have known,
unsuitable dress,
harlot’s color.
sisters footslog home
dark silence
no jabbering
she strips away torn dress
shrouds self in farm clothes
strikes out for barn to feed animals
veers toward rusted trash barrel
throws wad on coals, flames curl
around dress like shame around her heart
she watches purple turn to ash
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