Rituals

i always wanted to be a bridesmaid

honest to god

i could just see me floating

down that holy aisle leading

some dear friend to heaven

in pink and purple organza with lots and lots

of crinoline pushing the violets out from my dress

hem

or maybe in a more sophisticated endeavor

one of those lovely sky blue slinky numbers

fitting tight around my abounding twenty-eights

holding a single red rose white gloves open in the back

always forever made of nylon and my feet nestled gently

in chandlers number 699 which was also the price plus

one dollar to match it pretty near the dress color

wedding rituals have always intrigued me

and i’d swear to friends i wouldn’t say goddamn not even

once no matter what neither would i give a power

sign but would even comb my hair severely

back and put that blue shit under my eyes

i swear i wanted to be in a wedding