Purple Rain Remastered, 2025

Purple rain pouring 
sunset storm 
hailstones of nostalgia-

icy, passionate, fierce-

Four decades of
wind damage 
pummeling my teenage self

Chocolate kiss eyes
taking in the big screen-
Minneapolis, 1985-
pre-mistakes
cozy if not warm
The Prince
was just a kid
Everything behind her was safe
everything in front of her was
planned out like a TripTik

Salty drops of confusion 
fall from those eyes
as she learns 
her full glass shattered
shards falling to the river
washing away all she knew 

Cotton candy heart 
weaned on romance novels 
and soap operas 
turned to wool
then wood, finally steel
by man after man 
who was only there
when she didn’t need him

Soft, fresh skin
mottled from fluorescent sun
wrinkled from overthinking 
and determined laughter 

She recognized her 
caramel kiss birthmark 
and the chaotic curls 
that had finally grown long
Round face and once athletic body
now rotten with childbirth and chair borne illness 
were foreigners on familiar soil 
There was no mistaking the look of 
pity, compassion, forgiveness 

I rocked her as I unfolded the story
of our sister’s death
and hushed her 
when the spasms of loss tried to escape 
incarceration from the prison for emotions                                                
I told her to build as soon as she could

Soggy tissue pressing my palm
popcorn on her breath 
she leans close and whispers
”who is sitting next to us?”

We turn to look - 
my teenage daughter’s musician hands
strumming the air
entire body humming along
completely immersed in my youth

Peering around lush freckles, 
Hazel eyes
flicker to me
seeing the person I was
before my sister jumped
seeing the person I was
before her sister made me mom
seeing my  spirit
no mistaking pity, compassion, love

Credits rolling
unfurling all those decades
my daughter 
all innocence and obsessions
asking if we could see the sequel
my teenage self told her not to bother
“listen to the music, 
write your own script”
In that moment, 
my teenage self and my teenage daughter 
became the friend they both desperately needed

We all held hands 
on the drive home
thunder on bass
wipers on rhythm
raindrops on keys 
listening to the music all around 
us writing our own scripts 

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