Red Parade
Depressed because my
book wasn’t nominated
for a gay award,
I lie on my couch
watching—not listening to—
the O.J. trial.
Byron, who senses
something’s wrong, hides under the
bed until Ira
comes home, carrying
a bouquet of beautifully
wrapped tulips. I press
the mute button. “This
is your prize,” he says. “Guess what
they’re called.” A smile in-
voluntarily
overcomes my frown. “What?” “Red
Parade.” “That sounds like
the name of an old
Barbie outfit,” I say. “That’s
exactly what I
told the florist. And
you know what she told me?” “What?”
“When she was a girl,
she turned her Barbie
into Cleopatra: gave
her an Egyptian
haircut and painted
her nipples blue.” “How cool.” “Yeah,
but now she thinks that
her doll would be worth
eight hundred dollars if she
hadn’t messed it up.”
Once in water, the
tulips begin to unclench—
ten angry fists. Their
colors are fierce, like
Plath’s “great African cat,” her
“bowl of red blooms.” Poor
Sylvia, who so
desperately wanted awards,
and only won them
after she was dead.
Byron jumps up, Ira sits
down and massages
my feet. “You guys.” My
spirits are lifted by their
tulips, kisses, licks.
Copyright Credit: “Red Parade” from Plasticville (Turtle Point Press, 2000). © 2000 by David Trinidad. Used by permission of author.
Source: Plasticville (Turtle Point Press, 2000)