after Ajanae Dawkins 

I expect that it won't be much different from now: 
Three options laid out on the bed before 
            the concert             the reading          the date 
I want to get extra cute for; I call from the store 
to ask mini skirt or high waist jeans? I almost 
always want to look like Spring. I almost never want 
to look like a mother or a teacher, though I am. 
It has been twelve years of her knowing what look 
will make me feel most like I belong to myself. 

If I go to meet the Lord first, she is who I designate  
to dress me one last time. To say: she would want her nails 
polished pastel. Her hoops round as halos. Lips lined 
and wine red. My best friend, her burial clothes should be yellow. Yes, yellow. Make her look like she's in bloom.

Brittany Rogers is poet, visual artist, educator, and life-long Detroiter. She has work published or forthcoming in The Hopkins Review, Scalawag, The Poet Lore, Indiana Review, Four Way Review, Underbelly, Mississippi Review, Lambda Literary, and Oprah Daily.Brittany is Editor-in-Chief of Muzzle Magazine, host of VS Podcast, and author of the poetry collection Good Dress (Tin House, 2024).