they buried her in white
seventy years
before her time
was supposed to be up

they buried her in white
for they thought she was pure
pure in her mind
pure in her heart

they buried her in white
to disguise and distract
from the bruises and cuts
that stuck to her body
like tattoos

they buried her in white
but beneath the white
were the colours of her life

her heart was blue
her lips were purple
her eyes were black
and her wrists were red

they buried her in white
to preserve the little girl
they used to know
while trying to accept
the big girl
she'd never grow up to be