Little Black Dress

I was only 7 the first time

That death came near

Grandma was gone

But a child doesn’t understand

At 7, death couldn’t touch me

I wore that little black dress

And I went out to play

With my little brother

Mama was upset

Papa understood

We were just kids

Death didn’t touch us

But I was 8 when it came again

I was out with a friend

Mama came too early

I knew something was off

She took me home

And it was all wrong

Words came out

I hardly heard them at all

Somehow I knew

Something was wrong

Someone was gone

Grandpa left

He’d been my friend

We had our little tea parties

Out on the patio

With our special tea set

Even at 8 I knew

That he wasn’t here

No more visits

He was gone

I wore that little black dress

And I stood beside Mama

For the first time I felt it

I was 8 when death touched me