sometimes i want to let down my hair
take off my shoes and put on a white dress
walk outside and quietly shut the door
go down to the valley and feel the soil beneath my feet
and walk down to the creek and wade through
then keep walking and part the branches with my hands
and feel the thorns pierce my skin
and wipe the blood on my dress
and keep walking and feel the stones cutting my feet
and wipe my face and know that it is smeared with dirt
and keep walking until i don’t see the power lines
in my white dress and keep walking

 Therese Doherty