Paint the Town Pink
- A.S. Winters
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
by A.S. Winters
She adjusts her short skirt, pink crop top glimmering
in the moonlight. Her red lipstick is her warpaint.
She’s a confident woman, and she damn well
wants the world
to celebrate it.
The next day, she slips on her jeans and blouse,
her red high heels clacking across the floor.
She’s a confident woman, and she damn well
wants the world
to celebrate it.
She shuffles into her slippers
a week later, blue pyjamas ruffled.
Her hair sticks up, but she is writing
her future bestseller, so she couldn’t care less.
She’s a confident woman, and she damn well
wants the world
to celebrate it.
She drinks her wine,
Celebrating her win-
drinking to the success
of her business in her little black dress.
She’s a confident woman, and she damn well
wants the world
to celebrate it.
(Because they sure as hell know it).
She is glowing
(they sure as hell know it).
She is growing
(their frightened faces show it).
She is glorious, victorious, a warrior
(and the rest of them can stow it).
She paints the town pink,
with no damn shame.
By the time she’s done with them, they will know her name.
And they will see she is soft and strong.
Her name is Willow, and she won’t let them forget.
***
A.S.Winters is an upcoming 22-year-old writer, as well as a Tutor, Sales Assistant, Volunteer and an English Literature and Creative Writing student, currently completing her third year at Lancaster University. She largely writes about mental health, identity, loss, grief, social issues, romantic love, friendship, family, and politics and has had over 40 poems, 24 articles, 14 blog posts, 5 pieces of short fiction and 16 social media posts for Mental Health Notebook published. She is currently working on her debut novel, a historical, sapphic book set in 1950s Liverpool, which she hopes to publish in the next year or so. She aspires to be an educator, foster carer and high-profile writer one day.