Kimono

My great-grandmother’s weathered hands
Hold the smooth silk with care
As the vibrant purple and stunning gold
Captivate me
She drapes it gently over my shoulders
She pulls the obi firmly around my waist.
And suddenly
The breath is forced from my lungs.
She ties the intricate knots
Her thin fingers fluttering like butterfly wings
Slowly, she fastens the giant bow to the obi
And gives me a pair of matching gold slippers
I can hardly breathe with the obi constricting my waist
The tiny slippers pinch my feet
And yet I do not dare to break the fragile silence
I am a porcelain doll in a glass case.
She nods once
A silent approval.

by Lauren Makishima
10th Grade, ‘Iolani School