first communicant by ashley miranda

purity; a child in white lace
 
purity; a child in reverence
 
purity; a child bride to christ
 
purity; a child in white lace has a question
 
purity; what is purity? why am i wearing white? why does god need so many children, hands stretched out stretching us out stretching us thin, can lace be brittle and break? children can.
 
purity; when man says original sin, man means woman. so, little girl in lace, are you iridescent? your little wedding dress spun tight across you, suffocating your chest. white for innocence white for pure white for washing. turn her over and see her muddled knees. she’s been on her knees. she’s been praying for purity. little child brides and grooms ready to take a mouthful of a holy man, ready to start confessing.
 
purity; a child wrapped in gauze. a child who opens her mouth, not for men, but to light a spark, to spread a fire, to burn white lace.

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Ashley Miranda is a latinx poet from Chicago. Her work has been previously featured by the Denver Quarterly, Yes, Poetry, Ghost City Review, Lockjaw Magazine, and Glass Poetry Press. She tweets impulsive poetry and other musings @dustwhispers.