Sequin Purple - Victoria Zickas

I watched a girl in a purple sequined dress sit

After a night out

She sniffled as she deprecated herself,

Saying she only dressed up to get his attention

She’s crying and tears dripped down her face

But they aren’t blue, not clear,

They’re purple

They’re purple because her mascara is black

And black is a void,

Easily masking the colors hidden within;

Especially purple

That guy she referred to is a skater boy

He proudly bummed cigarettes from strangers

Who either gave him weird looks

Or threatened to beat him up

unfortunately,

Me and the guy have black hair, faded to purple

From constant washing

But we faded for different reasons

Mine faded because I’m ready for change

And his faded because he didn’t care

This girl, beautiful

This guy, unappreciative

She knew he was but continued to scar herself,

Shivered in blue sadness

Because she couldn’t let go,

She only let out more purple-stained tears as

Other women surrounded her,

Spilling their stories of boyfriends and hookups

Thinking it’d change her mood;

Shouting red anger as they

Profess they knew the answer to her situation

I only spoke of my mother and her divorce from

My father because her favorite color is purple

And my father’s is orange and even though they are

Secondaries together, they don’t mix well

This girl is purple, just like my mother

But this guy isn’t orange, he’s black

Black is a void, an uncaring one

Covering up and concealing bountiful colors because

It just can’t help it

Black and purple don’t mix

One swallows the other.

These women weren’t wrong,

They are all just different shades of purple

Who’ve experienced varying colors

This girl is periwinkle

Light in demeanor and quiet, partially dull from her past, leaning blue,

and still discovering the red that lies within her

One day, the realization will hit where she notices

Her periwinkle became amethyst or even violet.

Her tears faded as the plum and magenta

Women continue to speak

I, orchid; light, leaning blue but also bright,

Play with her hair and rub her back because

Womanhood isn’t pink,

It’s purple