dress after dress
makes its debut -
pretty pastels
garish jewel tones
frilly catastrophes

and she remains
within them
the little girl
who played dress-up
in my old prom gown

until

she emerges
from the dressing room -
and from the first inkling of her own potential -

and suddenly
she is
so brilliant
so elegant
so adult

and my first impulse
is to tell her-

"this one's all wrong -
try one of the pink ones again"

but instead
I silently pack up her teddy bears
and crayons
and barbie dolls

and tell her
"you look so beautiful."

after the purchase, though,
I grab onto her hand
as we cross the street;

just,
I tell myself,
for a few more minutes.

04/22/2008

Posted on 04/23/2008
Copyright © 2025 Maria Francesca