Page 149 of The Black Flamingo

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“You look amazing!” one of them says to me.

“Can we take a picture?”

I feel elated!

Both of the schoolgirls take

a selfie with me and them together,

on either side of me.

When the girls go,

the tears begin.

Eden hands me a box of tissues.

I wipe my tears and see the black and brown

makeup on the crumpled white tissue

in my hand. I look in the mirror.

I don’t feel fabulous anymore.

My first time in a full face of makeup.

I feel self-conscious and overwhelmed.

I ask Eden to pass the makeup wipes,

which they do. Then Eden says,

“I get fifty percent staff discount,

if you want to use it?”

Costume Confidence

I masquerade in makeup

and feathers, and hope to be applauded.

I evoke you as a metaphor;

attach my meaning to you.

Oh, Black Flamingo, here I stand

in your shadow. You are

my costume, my muse,

my poise and my strut,

my poetic and my purpose

but when I am naked

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