I left the bathroom, damp and stumbling
with a cloth eratically wrapped around me as security
Two wooden panels tower over
My trembling fingers reach for the steel handle of the closet
Met by familiar hues and textures
Neatly folded clothes and a rack of outfits that hang from above
Daring not to topple a stack or muck up any crease
my mind throbs to leave it as it is
Awakened by a shiver that crept up my spine
as cold air lingers on my exposed skin
I search for something to start with—thoughtless and simple
Plain undergarments latch on
Now the idea grows unchecked
Hesitation muddles my vision
To be reveled, should I fit into a theme
or vamp into someone avant-garde?
A form-fitting shirt, coupled with belt and straps
paralyze my thoughts, yet dictate my subservience
Opting for one that is generously cut and flowing
the pigments start to scream
Vibrant yellows and greens are pockmarked with red
Now yearning for isolation,
a hooded jacket invites me to dwell in
Strenuously digging into this heap of threads
Some intricate ensemble I try to piece together
My eyes spin in a random direction
Suddenly, a naked figure is looking back at me
Messy and flushed by a stream of tears
The complexity of this feat now becomes clear
That is where it must lead
Beyond glamour is one’s verity
A sourceless voice began to inquire
“How long will it take for this to be done?”
A reassured heart now speaks
“Until I am ready.”
Piece by: Aerol Latina
