I thought of you today.
As my day began.

I thought of you sitting in your playhouse
Sipping your lemonade
Hair flowing freely
Dimpled cheeks, freckles, crooked smile and all.
Laughing freely as you played house with your dollies
All while twirling about in your silky yellow sundress and Mary Janes.

I thought of you today.
As my day began.

Of how you BEGGED me to let you wear your blue gingham.
And ruby slippers
It would be your first teen costume party -- Halloween, 1980.
You were in your mizuiro jidai
And only a few close friends really knew your "secret".

But, being a small town, where EVERYONE would talk
I forced you to don the Munchkin --
A bitter pill for you
And the beginning of our troubles.

I thought of you today.
As my day began.

How you wanted so desperately just to be "yourself".
You looked AMAZING in your turquoise taffeta gown
With the lapis necklace and the dainty silver and sapphire bracelet
Your Grandma had worn all those years ago.
You had only gotten lovelier as you blossomed--
Your Puberty Fairy sprinkled feminine charms
On your masculine frame.

Aah! but BOYS don't wear gowns to the prom
So you wore your Dad's old tux
And stoically went to the prom -- Alone.

I thought of you today.
As my day began.

And a tear came to my eye.

Your last hurrah.

You DID get to wear your gown after all--
When they buried you yesterday...