He liked me in white; He liked me in pink.
When I was the person he liked
I turned my nose up at pastels
I bought only white.
When I liked the person he liked
I piously praised more colour
I bought only pink.
Now he’s off to Godaloneknowswhere
And his eyes are closed
But my drawer’s still half and half
Neatly folded bundles of pink and white at ease
Like spookasem spun on a stick.
Pink frilly nothings and staid white everythings
Readying themselves invitingly to be worn today
Surreptitiously stifling the black of me beneath.
(spookasem: Afrikaans for cotton candy; literally ghost breath)
