THE RED SUIT

I saw a bright red pant suit online and decided immediately that it was perfect and adorable and powerful and sexy all at once.

I decided immediately that I loved it.

I loved its sharp edges and the way it drew the eye.

I loved the way it couldn’t hide in between other garments.

It stated its case, and no one asked any questions.

This suit spoke truth unapologetically and knew immediately that all its trespasses were forgiven.

I loved the way it flunked out of blending in.

It filled up the space on the page effortlessly and stained my retinas with its brilliance.

Hating this suit would only increase its value.

The worst idea you’ve ever had would be worth 1 million bucks if it were wearing this suit.

This suit was IT.

And as I was falling in love, I found myself suddenly drawn to scroll.

Who was I to wear such a suit?

My closet, a sea of beige would surely reject this rebel immediately.

I saw some future moment where I put the suit on, admired myself, and then changed into something more quiet before entering the world.

This suit couldn’t sneak past a curious eye.

It couldn’t enter and exit without being seen.

This suit was the main event in every room it stepped into.

This suit was meant for a different type of person.

A person who stood out intentionally.

A person who felt comfortable being stared at and creating whispers in silence spaces.

A person who said no frequently and confidently.

A sacred rebel with no regrets standing firmly in their belief that they are, indeed, the most interesting person in every room they enter.

I lingered longer on the page against the directive of self preservation.

Screeching to a halt all that existed before… calling into question what is and what had always been, the self that I had never investigated deeply but drug along like an extra appendage that could not be shaken loose.

The scared, small, shrunken self dying in a prison of beige and aching for red suits and flashy jewels.

Who was I to wear the suit?

Who was I to want the suit?

Who was I to be fascinated and enamored by the suit?

Who was I at all?

All at once, I saw the truth, the answer.

This suit was perfect for me.

And I added to cart.

-Amber Denise

#poetry #redsuit #standout #authenticity #selflove #beyourself #ShineBright #over40 #poetrylovers #poetryofinstagram