"I've posted it before," she said, madly.

What She Was Wearing

this is my suicide dress
she told him
I only wear it on days
when I'm afraid
I might kill myself
if I don't wear it

you've been wearing it
every day since we met he said

and these are my arson gloves

so you don't set fire to something?
he asked

exactly

and this is my terrorism lipstick
my assault and battery eyeliner
my armed robbery boots

I'd like to undress you he said
but would that make me an accomplice?

and today she said I'm wearing
my infidelity underwear
so don't get any ideas

and she put on her nervous breakdown hat
and walked out the door 

Denver Butson

Setting fire to something*

What She Was Wearing

this is my suicide dress
she told him
I only wear it on days
when I'm afraid
I might kill myself
if I don't wear it

you've been wearing it
every day since we met he said

and these are my arson gloves

so you don't set fire to something?
he asked

exactly

and this is my terrorism lipstick
my assault and battery eyeliner
my armed robbery boots

I'd like to undress you he said
but would that make me an accomplice?

and today she said I'm wearing
my infidelity underwear
so don't get any ideas

and she put on her nervous breakdown hat
and walked out the door 

Denver Butson



*I've posted this poem before, maybe even several times. I find it nearly perfect in every way.

When your underwear talks to you and a poem

I dressed this morning, pulled on the black underwear that has, written on the inside waist-band, the words Every Woman Deserves to Be Happy.  I think I wrote about those panties once before, but don't quote me as I quote my underwear. Later, I drove to an appointment and crawled in traffic through Beverly Hills. I checked out the truck in the lane next to me. Along the side, in large letters, it said Let Me Be Of Service To You. I've posted the following poem before, too -- for obvious reasons.

What She Was Wearing

this is my suicide dress
she told him
I only wear it on days
when I'm afraid
I might kill myself
if I don't wear it

you've been wearing it
every day since we met he said

and these are my arson gloves

so you don't set fire to something?
he asked

exactly and this is my terrorism lipstick
my assault and battery eyeliner
my armed robbery boots

I'd like to undress you he said
but would that make me an accomplice?

and today she said I'm wearing
my infidelity underwear
so don't get any ideas

and she put on her nervous breakdown hat
and walked out the door 

by Denver Butson

Walking out the door

What She Was Wearing

this is my suicide dress

she told him

I only wear it on days

when I'm afraid

I might kill myself

if I don't wear it

you've been wearing it

every day since we met he said

and these are my arson gloves

so you don't set fire to something?

he asked

exactly

and this is my terrorism lipstick

my assault and battery eyeliner

my armed robbery boots

I'd like to undress you he said

but would that make me an accomplice?

and today she said I'm wearing

my infidelity underwear

so don't get any ideas

and she put on her nervous breakdown hat

and walked out the door

Denver Butson, Illegible Address

Tuesday Poetry

William Blake - America, a Prophecy (1793)

My God, I loved this poem today when I read it on The Writer's Almanac:

Tuesday 9:00 AM

A man standing at the bus-stop

reading the newspaper is on fire
Flames are peeking out
from beneath his collar and cuffs
His shoes have begun to melt

The woman next to him
wants to mention it to him
that he is burning
but she is drowning
Water is everywhere
in her mouth and ears
in her eyes
A stream of water runs
steadily from her blouse

Another woman stands at the bus stop
freezing to death
She tries to stand near the man
who is on fire
to try to melt the icicles
that have formed on her eyelashes
and on her nostrils
to stop her teeth long enough
from chattering to say something
to the woman who is drowning
but the woman who is freezing to death
has trouble moving
with blocks of ice on her feet

It takes the three some time
to board the bus
what with the flames
and water and ice
But when they finally climb the stairs
and take their seats
the driver doesn't even notice
that none of them has paid
because he is tortured
by visions and is wondering
if the man who got off at the last stop
was really being mauled to death
by wild dogs.

--Denver Butson