Cherry Dress From Goodwill

I bought a cherry seersucker dress from Goodwill once
it was too long for me but I didn't hem it.
it was striped pink vertically

and with a wild border of cherries two inches before the hem,
that wasn't hemmed.
I felt wherever I went in it,  I am wearing my cherry dress

and I am happy because of this.
I still don't understand the distress
this caused in certain quarters.

were cherries out of fashion, or seersucker?
or were they simply jealous
that I found it at Goodwill

or just the kind of people who always will
want us all decked out
in power lunch blazers

and Egyptian beads on the Metro,
replicas of those at the National Gallery.

mary angela douglas 5 may 2016