for Carroll

How well it suits you
and how wonderfully you fill it
the dress our friend Laurel
persuaded you to buy
that time we visited
in Honolulu

The vibrant blues
a brilliant contrast
to the dullness
of our local palette
zipping it up the back
I watch you step away
and am transported
to another place
more colorful
more sensuous
like breathing in
Oahu's ocean air
or the perfume
of a passion flower

You say you think
it's time to let it go
because you've filled out some
and it's a little tight
but we who love you
say oh please
that dress is perfect for you
it's as if it summons
something of your spirit
to the surface
a graciousness
and grace
that's beyond gender
yet deeply feminine
filling the room
with laughter
light and love