I Decided To Wear A Skirt Today

I wore my olive colored blouse today.

I wore it with my mustard colored skirt.

I clothed my feet in sandals - brown and

black - wrapped my wrists in brassy, shining

bangles.  I shook out my hair, wrapped it up,

a nest of brown and gold behind my ears.

Smooth hoops of burnished brass adorned my ears.

A smile I could not do without today

adorned my face, supported and held up

my burgeoning heart.  Today I will skirt

my pain, step around it, bear a shining

countenance, and strong and starry eyes, and 

a mouth turned up at the corners, joy and

warm laughter from my throat, and at my ears.

I have decided to forget today.

My mouth is warm with words, the sun shining,

and soft round my waist falls my yellow skirt.

I shall spin and swirl, and sew my heart up,

step out my door and carry my feet up

the street, a girl young and beautiful and

fresh, my hands lifting and tossing my skirt

around me, shunning the wind in my ears

having decided to breathe free today,

to dress myself in hope, bright and shining.

Outside my door, the street is hot, shiny

with heat waves, quivering up and down, up

and down, heavy with quiet, near midday,

the hour of sandwiches and soup and 

tea served in glasses that mirror bright eyes,

eyes bent on hiding, attempting to skirt

the truth shaken by sun from the black skirts

of the night, sending blushes round our ears.

We only want to lock our memory up,

forget, for a day, the “things” of life and

greet the world awake, ready for this day.

So I shall wear my bright skirt, and lift up

my face, shining with this, in my heart and 

in my ears. “Nothing shall ruin today.”

- Emma Pearl - 

A Sestina written Spring 2012 at Stephen F. Austin State University