The Lemon Dress

Hey everyone. Another poem about the early stages of my transition & it shows that growing up transsexual in the seventies was far from easy. This is especially true when you had no sisters & had to rely on your mother to keep your secret. The poem is called The Lemon Dress I hope you like it.

The Lemon Dress

It was a Lemon Dress
with a pristine White collar
and I wanted it badly
the star attraction in my mum’s wardrobe
In 1973
I knew what I wanted to be
a girl like my pals
make up and Barbie dolls
presents not received
though longed for
at Christmas and Birthdays
having no sisters made it hard
to express my identity
I had to be content
with my mother’s outfits
The lemon dress
screamed domestic goddess
when teamed up with tan tights
I looked like a proper little wife
both nails and lips painted pink
and eye shadow a pale shade of blue
nothing too daring
that would never do
in my mothers world
where boys were boys
girls were girls
with no shades of gray
It was Rock Hudson& Doris Day
who played out her gender roles
god knows Marilyn Monroe
would have been far too flirty
for a child of the kirk
who never went on Sunday’s
but made sure if I wanted
to be her daughter
I would have to be
respectably dressed

@ Gayle Smith 2012