Narrative poem with paint chips

Linda Kruschke’s challenge this week is for a Narrative poem. Do visit her blog for more detail including the colours and her poem. She writes:

‘Your challenge is to write a narrative poem, to tell a story. It can be true, completely fictional, or a combination thereof. The format is up to you. Couplets, free verse, rhyming or not.

‘The paint chip words and phrases you have to work with are antique rose, surf’s up, mistletoe, mustard seed, skyscraper, easy peasy, and jack-o’-lantern.

‘I would like you to use at least four of these paint chips in your poem.

‘For an extra twist, perhaps incorporate one or two of the colors themselves, using whatever name you would ascribe to them.’

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Fashion statements

Getting the length of a miniskirt
Correct used to be easy-peasy.
Kneel on the floor, not in the dirt –
That most certainly would not have pleased me.

A mini-dress in brighter yellow
Shades than mustard seed had been measured
The same way. Then a young fellow
Made a comment – a memory not treasured.

What amateur dressmakers had not
Taken into account was, movement
Lifts up a dress’s hem a lot!
I guess there’s always room for improvement.

Four inches above the knee was right
For a skirt. Lime green and navy
Went well together. Colours bright
As Jack-o-lantern orange adorned me.

Even middle-aged men wore coloured shirts.
Dad had a smart shirt of dusky pink.
(They didn’t do it to be flirts.)
With elephant-grey trousers – made us blink.

Psychedelic patterns in bright hues,
Like antique rose and mistletoe green
Chosen for handbags and summer shoes.
In the Sixties people wanted to be seen!

Hems have since been lower, necklines too.
Colours make a splash, bright red the best.
Fashions change, shapes return, sleeves do too,
But are they eco-friendly? That’s the test.