Raising Antiope by Clemonce Heard

& when my princess grew too spacious
to fit the Goodwill gown I purchased,

we turned it into a sun dress. Once the
straps began to strangle my sweet-pea

we made it a sweetheart, hit puberty
a halter top, hit her head on the ceiling

a cropped top. Whenever she outgrew
the house she stopped sporting her

charmeuse as a scarf & wore it instead
as a hijab, which are both fine by me

since neither is a bikini. When her veil
began to choke her face we made it

into a headband, & when that failed a
scrunchie, to keep her ponytail in place.