The Dress That Wouldn't Die

The sink is pink
candy over metal faces
sides of stainless steel
where lines engraved
all run in veins of
raspberry, all is pink.

Rough patches of chrome
are pink. The yellow sponge
is pink. The spoon used
to stir the dye, the sealants
white, the rubber gloves,
the skin behind-

everything is dead
and deader dyed
pink.
Except the dress,
I’m trying to dye.
The dream remains cream.