A Watch Winding Down 1967

Oh yes, then I'll wear my red dress
so we'll look purposeful together
to people we might meet at the supermarket.

It's important to present purpose
to present, to pretend to present purpose
to people at the supermarket so I'll wear red
lipstick and stockings and a white purse.

It's important to present purpose
purses present the pretense of purpose
the prefix of Mrs.

In dresses we'll look purposeful together
we'll wear red smiles and pearl necklaces
so they'll see our purpose
purses filled with husbands' money
our purpose at the supermarket
to present our purses and red dresses
red dresses, red dresses, from addresses
in suburbia we'll present purpose.

Mrs. in dresses at the supermarket
mark it, mark it, on your calendar at two
and I'll wear my red dress
so we'll look purposeful together
to people we might meet at the supermarket.

It's important to present purpose
white purses, red dresses, red dresses
we'll leave from addresses in suburbia
at two o'clock in the afternoon
we'll re-dress, redress, redress . . .

From “Liner Notes.” Now, years after making this poem, I wonder that I wouldn’t write it today. I wonder that I’m speaking objectively in a way that doesn’t bring anything to the conversation of traditional roles of women or of the American nuclear family.

I made the poem sincerely and it came from memories of my maternal grandmother who looked like she may have only been playing by the rules of society of her time except that she was an incredibly compassionate person—and was compassionate to all people even when her compassion crossed lines of social constructs of the 1970’s in central Arkansas. That she would treat people with kindness regardless of their tribe or situation which was a huge model for me.