Best Dressed To The Nines Poems
We first met at the Obsidian Bar,
on a night that I will never forget.
She’s dressed to the nines; like a movie star
in charcoal satin and sable georgette.
I catch the scent of ashes of roses,
as wisps of smoke drift from bright crimson lips.
Like a Vogue model, she sits and poses,
a tall glass of absinthe she gently sips.
With cerulean eyes, which shine so bright,
ivory skin like a porcelain doll.
She caught my eye; it is love at first sight
her captivating beauty does enthral.
She’s on her own, so I ask her to dance,
New Year bells ring, heralding our romance
Won in Midnight Romance Contest
Sponsored by Dale Gregory Cozart
10 syllables per line checked with how many syllables
words to be used: obsidian, charcoal, sable, absinthe, cerulean, ashes of roses, porcelain, ivory, smoke, crimson
10-14-17
A Debutante’s Ball to Remember
In the autumn of my life, oft have I recalled that superb summer night,
when I finally experienced my long-awaited heart’s delight.
Family and close friends were all ready for my entry into society,
to celebrate it with a grand debutante’s ball filled with gaiety.
In a dreamlike state, I felt like a princess with a golden crown,
making my grand entrance wearing a champagne chiffon gown.
With matching gloves, and a pair of satin shoes on my tiny feet,
my auburn hair was adorned with butterflies and posies sweet.
The ballroom was magically transformed with gas lights all aglow,
and a glittering chandelier reflected on a highly polished mahogany floor.
As the orchestra played, my body and soul were enraptured and consumed
by its rendition of Ravel’s enthralling “La Valse” which pervaded the room.
Elegant ladies were all dressed to the nines in exquisite pastel gowns
of winter white, baby blue, powder pink, pale peach and beautiful browns.
In tacit competition to out-best each other, social charms were well-honed,
as they daintily fanned themselves and gossiped animatedly in hushed tones.
Refined gentlemen in their finely-tailored tails navigated the room to mingle,
keeping an eye out for eligible heiresses beautiful, graceful, and single.
Wafts of mild masculine colognes came from discretely dabbed faces and hair;
while the fresh feminine floral scent of French perfumes permeated the air.
Armed with a full dance card, I waltzed the night away with ardent admirers,
curtsying and coquettishly smiling, moving on to more exciting suitors.
My enchanting evening climaxed with Strauss’s “Vienna Waltz” filling the hall.
Oh, what a tale I will have to tell as my granddaughter prepares for her first ball!
11-21-2014
Contest: Your Favourite Old Poem (06-08-2015)
Sponsor: Shadow Hamilton
Placement: 1st
Contest: Ballroom Delights (12-16-2014)
Sponsor: Isaiah Zerbst
Placement: 2nd
The host was the most, an elegant man,
Who throws great parties like no one else can.
All were dressed to the nines for a special affair,
While men peeked at bosoms and tried not to stare.
The gathering together of local folks,
Were sitting and telling some witty jokes;
While ladies who came dressed in the latest style,
Vied with each other for a gentleman’s smile.
Candles were lit, the music played low,
The table was set in perfection’s glow;
With goblets of wine and bone china plates,
That defined the mind with earnest debates.
The fragrance of food that smelled so fine,
Was delivered with bottles of sweet scented wine;
And great steaming bowls of chicken soup,
Were served in style with a sterling silver scoop.
Roast beef with gravy was served with care,
With mashed potatoes and all the fanfare.
There were squash, carrots and dishes of beans,
And bowls of crisp chopped salad greens.
There was wine to sip and coffee to drink,
There was so much to eat, no one could think;
There was cake to splurge and gin to purge,
And all who ate quickly lost the urge.
The hours ticked by with buttons undone,
That belied the gourmet from having fun;
For lessons they learned were simple and few,
A waist filled with haste is hard to undo.
.
You cannot imagine how deeply miss’d
That gentle smile and your tender kiss
Are to my restless soul. But respite found
It’s way to my longing as a snippet
Dream Sprite kissed me with vision, vignette
Tantalizing and tempting. We walked
Hand in hand, dressed to the nines. Unknown
Destination, but in your company,
Who cares? It was you! It was us! In love!
But, did our hands converse! Eloquently!
Warmth is the passion of two hearts longing
To be one. Heartbeat is the cadence Love
Needs to dance. Softness the plea, “Protect Me!”
Firmness, the Assurance, “I Will Be Here!”
The Real Christmas
From Black Friday to Christmas Eve,
presents to purchase and wrap.
Office and family parties, visits to relatives
platters of food and gallons of alcohol.
Trees dressed to the nines in dangling baubles
and twinkling lights.
Continuous Christmas carols blaring from radios
and loud speakers.
Wreaths and decorations to adorn tables,
night stands, credenzas, book shelves.
Lights hung in strings so large that rows
of houses look like runways for planes.
Inflatable Santas, snowmen, reindeer and nutcrackers
compete for space in yards.
Nativities, pageants, plays special music
consume congregations.
Is this the real Christmas?
Or perhaps it is-
A silent night, two thousand years ago
in a dimly lit cave.
A babe wrapped in woolen clothes
lying in a sheep’s feeding trough.
Only shepherds and loving parents
in attendance.
An infant destined to change history.
The future savior of the world.
LINES
We LINE up in traffic, or clear out the door,
And there are BEELINES we make, to the seashore.
Get mad and we're "DRAWING A LINE IN THE SAND,"
He USES A LINE when he asks for her hand.
You're in A LINE OF WORK, it's where you can shine:
LINEBACKERS, LINE EDITORS, and TECHIES ONLINE.
You're in the CHORUS of a big Broadway play,
Or dancing in LINES with the CORPS DE BALLET.
I'll "DROP YOU A LINE," when you're on vacation,
Get there by CRUISE LINE to your destination.
Fly on an AIRLINE, but you cannot fly straight,
In crossing a BORDERLINE, COASTLINE, or State.
In HEADLINES, OUTLINES, or given the GUIDELINES,
We calculate "READING BETWEEN ALL THOSE LINES."
DEADLINES and TIMELINES we must try to meet,
In interviews for FRONTLINE of the man on the street.
She is dressed to the nines, with the highest HEMLINE,
And her jeans are drying on a breezy CLOTHESLINE.
The kids throw their sneakers to the TELEPHONE LINES,
They're outside and swimming, their TAN LINES are signs.
CUT IN THE LINE, CROSS A LINE, this may give you trouble,
Especially the LINES that are yellow and double.
You don't want to FLATLINE, when you become very ill,
But you will, when you see LINES from your itemized bill.
There are the Maths that are used for LINES X, Y, and Z,
And a BASELINE to measure what we're trying to see.
We may draw PARALLEL LINES with our ruler in place,
These LINES actually meet when they curve out in space.
Then there's games with LIFELINES, we try not to burn,
There's LINES FROM A SCRIPT that we try hard to learn.
LINES READ in poetry, played in music, sung in song,
It's the memorized beauty of the gifts passed along.
Whatever THE LINE IS, that we find most adoring,
It's NOT keeping the order we find so abhorring.
We humans are LINEAR in most of our thinking,
It's the CIRCLES and CURVES that'll drive us to drinking.
By Edlynn Nau
© February 9, 2016
To whisper these words on valentines
I wrote this from my purest side
To the lady whom dressed to the nines
I did struggle to write these lines
It would take me on a happy joyride
To whisper these words on valentines
I love to watch how the hair shines
As the sun sends rays from outside
To the lady whom dressed to the nines
Pages are made from the fibers of Pines
Quill weaves as my fingers guide
To whisper these words on valentines
Let me buy the richest wines
Lit up some candles on the bedside
To the lady whom dressed to the nines
You are beautiful more than my poem defines
My inner butterflies have been multiplied
To whisper these words on valentines
To the lady whom dressed to the nines
In the midst of whatever has you bound up and under attack
The presence of God can break every chain for the Lord has your back
Be it mental, physical or psychological chains that are holding you down
The presence of the Lord has the power to lift you up to higher ground
The liberating presence of the Lord God will deliver you and set you free
From whatever has you shackled and girded up like a Christmas turkey
Let me go, set me free, break every chain, free me from my situation
It's time for me to embrace the place of my transformation
Let me go, set me free, break every chain
Of whatever has me stricken, bent over and in pain
Let me go, release me, take away the shame
Let the Holy Spirit bring forth in me some change
It's not enough to just show up in church dressed to the nines
You need to participate in the worship and let God enter your mind
And don't play yourself by thinking the church is more than just a building
As it's the congregation who are the true source
In working, worshipping and witnessing for God
For He is the ultimate life force
Now let the power of worship in you transcend and transform
Let the power of praise in you redeem and reform
And it matters not what is your condition
Allow the Holy Spirit to reposition
And no longer will your condition rule
As you have been spiritually schooled
Now able to get past your circumstances and situations
By embracing the Resurrection power of God in your transformation
Let me go, let me go, free me from my misery
Break every chain Lord God, just set me free
No longer will I internalize or lament woe is me
For I've been transformed by the hand of God for the whole world to see
I am free as a bird
Ready to discover this wondrous world
I am dressed to the nines
Seeking a knight in shining armor
He will be handsome alright
Defending me from life’s lows and sorrows
I shall be his flower, ready to be plucked
Oh my petals shall lust for his kiss
The big city a delight, as I shop all night!
As I gaze upon the handsome men all over
I am hopeful one shall take my hand
So they we might begin a lovers journey
Night time jazz, clubs filled with hazy smoke
Man after man after drink and nothing of substance
What’s a pretty girl to do?
Another night of blackness and no shining black knight
So off I wander to the city park
The lush smell of green filling the air
There is a graveyard up over there
A promenade among the dead
There under the moonlit sky, is an old man
His hair all white, his dress somewhat wrinkled
He seems to star into nothingness
Ah but his eyes are clear blue like the ocean true
I am abashed yet I stare into these crystal blue eyes
Something stirs from within me, yes I see as clear as day
The kindness and compassion within this weathered old man
I lose my breath, this is foolish for I just know somehow, I know I know
I walk up to him, and kiss him on the lips as I should not
This is not me, yet I know this is exactly me, I just know
He looks with sadness, and says simply "I am a dead man, from long ago"
I kiss him once more and say “I will return three days hence and we shall see"
Three days later, like a statue he stands stoically still and almost in fear
I take his hand, and whisper, life is full of miracles
We have no time to lose, I see into your beauty and I see into your pain
Hold me and love me, I am yours completely, in the falling rain
Carriage drawn by four black steeds
Zombie coachman no blood to bleed
He is employed by Dracula
Who calls him fondly Tarantula.
Tonight he's on deadly mission
His masters suffering malnutrition
With fangs that ache, desperate for blood
He's practised in art of courtly love.
Tarantula picked up Dracula's date
Dressed to the nines her fate awaits
Beautiful woman if only she knew
Vampires entice and then subdue.
Charming Count's enigmatic smile
Teeth so white he does beguile
Taking her hand at table they sit
He really has most invasive wit.
Weaving his spell she quickly falls under
Satisfied Count made fatal blunder
He turned her into creature of night
She now bedevils him, wanting a bite.
jewelry and make up
give us glamor
cigaretts and smoke
drink and laughter
how distinguished we look
with ciggy in claws
blowing smoke into faces
waiting for applause
just for effect
you pucker and blow
and the other half of the smoke
comes out your nose
who care where it goes
in the air or in your clothes
what you smell like
you may never know
dressed to the nines
and doing just fine
running out of cigarettes
the last thing on your mind
(This is where you come in)
The Fashion Show
I took pattern making autumns ago
I measured and cut a bodice to sew
A vintage cocktail dress trimmed with mojo
Louie Fifteen Courts would never forgo
I’m dressed to the nines and nowhere to go
Aha, of course, there’s a chic fashion show
It’s a full house, the theme: “Haute Escato”
Awed by the finale I yell bravo!
Home watching YouTube, with chips and merlot
This collaboration is with Jan Allison
We met at speed dating and you really caught my eye
I thought I’d hit the jackpot, you were such a handsome guy
We spent some minutes chatting and you asked me for a date
Agreed to meet at Gino’s at a quarter after eight
Dressed to the nines and on the corner of the block
I saw you brought your mother 'Oh boy' that was a shock!
We spent the night flirting, like the house was caught on fire
Oh Bob I think you’re so darn hot, you fill me with desire
I was flattered when you asked me, on a date, that much is true
But I really wish you'd had bid your Mum a fond adieu?
I think we could get serious; I’d love to see you more
I’m pleading with you Bob, just leave your mother at the door!
Oh, she seams so darn aggressive in a way I can't believe
and the things, she said she'd like to do with me, I can't conceive
I hope my Mother doesn't notice all the signs I see
the way this little woman throws herself, all over me
Well, perhaps bringing Mom, was not such a good idea
But how can I take her home, and leave this hottie here
Ok, I called a cab and had my mother taken home
So, me and Jan could have a little time here all alone
It seems we hit it off, but our time was running out
When I heard across the room another man give out a shout
As my heart started sinking, I knew that I'd been had
When the man came up to me, and said, Hello I'm Her Dad
Birds are singing it is Easter time.
What do I wear for this special date.
I see my outfit in color lime.
Flowers on fabric in groups of eight. A pretty lacy wide brim lime hat.
Pink roses stand up no laying flat.
Dressed to the nines with churches closed.
Here reading my bible all composed.
Date Written: 4/8/2020
Honorable Mention 4/10/2020 STRAND PICK 7, any theme, any form. Contest Judged: 4/10/2020 Sponsored by: Brian Strand
I saw her just yesterday, the paragon
Of all that a woman could be. Tall and tan,
Proud and proper, short hair, not butch,
A beautiful woman dressed to the nines,
Dripping confidence like an empress.
A lessor man would have ran and hid
For surely this was a lady
And would have no need for a man.
I offered a sincere compliment
Fully expecting an icy reply
If afforded one at all. For my trouble,
Her face lit up like a prom queen,
Flashing me a smile that warmed my soul.
Gracious and appreciative, I saw this woman anew.
She was beautiful inside
And could not hide it on her countenance.
I could hold a door for this lady as she understands
That a simple act of respect cannot make her less,
Any more than her grace makes me less than I am.
Oh modern woman, is respect what you want?
Don’t demand it, Command it!
This is not a zero-sum game, Ladies!
You cannot, No, must not trade your feminity,
The best of your womanhood, for your worthy goals.
You can be beautiful without being synthetic;
Demure without being the prude;
Strong without being brusque;
Accept help without becoming dependent;
Be natural but not a sloven;
Flirtacious without being easy.
Confident but not cocky;
You can melt men like butter.
You hold all the cards!
Now, let’s get you that respect!