Best Underdressed Poems
an old ripped tarp argues with the wind
the NO TRESPASSING sign trembles
an underdressed scare crow ‘crazy dances”
mocking a city dweller manically hailing a cab
the warmth of the red barn lies to the field mice
offers only the emptiness of progress
sad hollow hope of grain-less silos
silent feathers watch as hunger preys
upon the return of every sunrise
an old ripped tarp argues with the wind
©1/20/2019
Categories:
underdressed, life, winter,
Form:
Free verse
I open my eyes.
All around me,
everything is unfamiliar:
unfamiliar wallpaper,
unfamiliar white leather sofa,
unfamiliar country.
I moved here to teach,
and here I am learning
that I’m underprepared,
underqualified,
underdressed,
and hungover.
He wouldn’t let me leave last night,
you see.
As the party was dying,
I coloured his bathroom
with oversweet Georgian wine
and washed down chicken wings
that came back up.
He decided:
I could miss the last metro,
sleep on this atrocious sofa,
recover.
Of course,
now it’s 7am,
and I have to teach a class
of engineers,
bridge builders,
about ing phrasal verbs
in less than two hours.
And I have to do it
with a hangover and a smile.
I think to myself
as I struggle with front door locks and keys
before climbing out of a downstairs window,
what a strange story this will be.
And yet waking up here,
it could be a whole lot worse
than this beautiful Baku sunrise.
Categories:
underdressed, adventure, drink, journey, travel,
Form:
Free verse
If you don't eat, you're anorexic if you do eat, you're a fat ass.
If you don't wear makeup, you're ugly. If you wear makeup, you're a fake.
If you're loud, you're annoying; if you're quiet, you're weird.
If you're good in school, you're smart; if you say something wrong, you're stupid.
If you take pictures, you're an attention-whore; if you don't stalk your friends you're not cool.
If you wear sweats, you're underdressed; if you wear a dress, you're overdressed.
If you don't have boobs, no guys like you; if you have boobs, they're fake.
If you don't have a boyfriend, you're a loser; if you have one, he's cheating on you.
You tell us to be who we are but then you go and judge us about it. So now, do you see how hard it is for us to just be ourselves?
Categories:
underdressed, art, depression, devotion, education,
Form:
Acrostic
The sparrows praised the morning sun,
He hugged the forest in his warm- outreached arms
The sun cascaded and grazed his fingers through every crisp leaf,
Over every sleepy tenant- illuminating their curiosity for each other
And the breeze laughed- happy to be alive
She laughed as she ruffed every tree,
All now fully dressed
She cackled down from the clouds and into every burrow
The family of trees just stood by watching the neighborhood awaken
Cousins rubbing elbows- Fathers shading their sproutlings
Creaking in quiet protest to the construction worker woodpeckers
Just happy at the turn of the weather
And the early blooming lilies gossiped to themselves
About the underdressed daisies
And the breeze disturbing their groomed leaves
And how the sun was too hot so early
The sky watching them all rejoicing,
For she wasn't alone anymore,
Left with bleeding ears from the squirrels complaints of the cold
Landlord to to all she welcomed them back to her care
In bloom was it all, and all was in bloom
March 1, 2023
In bloom poetry contest
Joseph May
Categories:
underdressed, adventure, bird, blessing, daffodils,
Form:
Personification
The large
man underdressed for November
booms at the uniformed
kneeling guy who pushes
chocolate bars on the shelf.
The lady glides, slimly with
forward pressed jaw and
questions in her eyes. I
rush down the aisle,
by the anti-organized children
and duty-bound citizens with
wealth converted into protein,
and worried-looking men.
An array of
cloth color contains bodies.
No music
only machines confidently
stating their instructions.
Categories:
underdressed, community, life, society,
Form:
Free verse
You slept in, I walked to the beach
“I love you” an old American hippy yelled
”And the mosquitos do too!”
My big red welts
A souvenir of our night in Guanica
A stay forced by the Puerto Rican cop
Who pulled you over for “speeding” at 5pm
License to be returned when you paid the fine
Payable only at the police station, which closed at 5pm
You weren’t speeding
But you were Nuyorican
Without a word of Spanish
He would have locked you up if he could
The hotel he said was nearest
(perhaps owned by his dearest?)
Had a pool, empty save for cracks and a coconut
We were the only guests
Yet we were underdressed
For the bar
Two local grand dames and an old colonel
In full regalia
From another time
Sipping their nightly resurrection
When I stepped naked into the bathroom
And switched on the light
A hundred mosquitos fed in a frenzy
as if they’d waited all their lives
for me
The old hotel was the highlight
Of our trip
And of our time together
You could never want me
The way those mosquitos did
Categories:
underdressed, boyfriend, break up, desire,
Form:
Free verse
Ripples of vibrant streams stagnate
Songs of flapping birds relocate
Forest rustles hibernate
Skeletal trees shake, underdressed
Mushy, scabbed apples numbly rest
Brisk, harsh breezes pierce life's chest
Pruned trees develop healing scars
Skies of pewter, stone, and smudged chars
Meet to contemplate the stars
Sorrow and indifference blend
A crocus and daylight ascend
~The beginning of death's end
1/21/2021
Categories:
underdressed, heartbroken, longing, night, solitude,
Form:
Rhyme
vulnerable shoulders scantily clad
bare of protecting pauldron
without his strong arms encompassing
chest underdressed
short of a shield
without his beating breastplate pressing
helmet unharnessed
mind recklessly unleashed
without comforting thoughts of our melding
beaming brass unattached
sword unwielded for defense
strong arms to swing ~ missing
Sponsor: Edward Ibeh
Chosen title: Defenseless
3/2/2020
Categories:
underdressed, absence, i miss you,
Form:
Tristich
Black and blue
Is the new classic look
I’m wearing it to your wedding
And showing up in nothing else
Oh, pardon me
Am I underdressed?
I am sophisticatedly slugged
Categories:
underdressed, confusion, death, funny, life,
Form:
Families
awkward phone call
answers
family dinner, funeral, wedding, graduation...
strained, uneasy voice, barely recognizes name on list
Can you make it?
wanting acceptance, warmth...love?
black sheep, barely holding on to family tree
branches...straining, cracking,
mother dies, weakens the branch
grandma dies, weakens the branch
cousin dies, weakens the branch
brother dies, weakens the branch
who are you?
faces ask the question
I mean...
how have you been?
hugs, smiles, questions
meant to welcome, recover lost time
standing in kitchen, watching coffee drip
examining photos on refrigerator
reading circled dates on calendar
nervous fingers caress cutlery drawer
awkward
feelings of childhood insecurity come rushing back
who should I be?
who do they expect me to be?
trying conversation
failing badly
not smart enough, sophisticated enough, worldly enough, not...
not sure what
but lacking
I steal a glance at the microwave clock
family catches me
time to go?
no
eyes of uncles watching me madly
eyes of aunts looking down sadly
cookies?
more coffee?
Distracted by background hymn
"What song is this?"
name of artist I wouldn't know
of course
passing around cheese I wouldn't know
of course
pouring glass of wine from year I wouldn't appreciate
or country I'd never visit
acutely aware that I am underdressed
under classed
eyes asking why is he here? right
the blood
eyes jump from me to clock
was there a hint in that look?
forcing a smile
inside
screaming
clawing
crying
punching
swearing
fake laugh at joke I didn't get
trying to act interested in stories from that side of the tracks
trying to steady dry working hands
checks and hides dirty finger nails
damn
did they notice?
it's getting late
I should go soon
murmuring voices silenced
eyes wander to my declaration
hugs and handshakes hasten my departure
hope to see you soon, keep in touch, blah, blah
useless last minute pity talk
puts on shoes
last look at relieved eyes
walks to car
parks down the street
covers face
cries for hours
families.
Categories:
underdressed, family,
Form:
Free verse
To much information
For over 10 Year's now
Not unlike a Handmaids Tale
But not in Snow White Hat & Scarlett Cape
My Uniform i regail in is rather that
Top 2 Toe in frustrated Solid Purple
The only touch that i have felt
over these said Baron Year's
Are in my Dreams have felt
And substitute they may be
I miss what i have dreamed
more and more each morning i awake
I realize this fact when i wake
so to my dreams disappear and the
only thing real left is me poorer and more lonely than 1 night before
In reality my Cup doth not runeth over
It is neither empty
nor half full
It simply has only come to represent
Was what i took for granted
Was i would fall in love again
And once again feel sexual intimacy
But no dream over these past 10 + Year's
Can substitute 1 single smile upon your face
Nor galaxies i seen explode and dialate behind the pupils in your eye's when you writhed and screamed you were about to come
Nor can it replicate your sweet scented smell and feminine taste you radiate when your on heat
And the way you used to thank me for going down on you like somehow it was a chore nibbling and licking on your 2 pink lips the left ever so bigger than the right
Nor can a dream ever in a billion lifetimes compare with 1
memory of you in state of undress heaving breast, pert errect hard nipples telling me that you love me
No on off button
No reset
No restart
No 2nd chances
No Glitch
No Matrix
No Red or Blue Pill
No De Ja Vue
No life lessons
No advice
Mistakes are for Life
Played out in Dreams
Categories:
underdressed, angst,
Form:
Free verse
See that Boody advertisement to the right?
Each of those three young ladies are a delight.
They are sporting undies sold by their company.
What a beautiful sight they are conveying to me!
The one on the bottom is the one I like best.
Chubby girls all look great when are underdressed.
I wish that lady could pop right out of the screen.
Together, we would make quite an amorous scene!
Categories:
underdressed, imagination, sexy,
Form:
Rhyme
The forecast said it would be cool;
I packed some pants - I'm not a fool -
And long-sleeved shirts, but still unsure,
As I was heading out the door,
I grabbed my trusty purple vest
And wore it daily - who'd have guessed?
It's made of down and light as air,
Magenta-toned, to be quite fair.
So though the sunny warmth was gone,
I still felt cozy with it on.
I never will be underdressed
When I wear my UniQlo vest.
Categories:
underdressed, clothes,
Form:
Rhyme
Some time later I returned to Lake Norman,
not as an underdressed yet fearless sailor-man,
but as myself, passing through Davidson
late on a June Sunday afternoon
on my way to visit Duke University.
How lazy and peaceful it was that day!
How calmly the students meandered about
the innocent, quiet campus!
How cheerful the squirrels! How happy the clouds!
How glorious the sunset!
How small the world became at that moment
compared to the vastness of stormy days long since past!
Categories:
underdressed, happiness, life, mystery, nature,
Form:
Free verse
Hot as hell and bloated to burst,
I’m filled with this desire to tame.
You’re wild but I have such a thirst
as your shape fills my doorframe.
Overstimulated and underdressed?
Proceed to the pernicious playroom.
I knew before your whisper confessed
that such intensity was not a costume.
Sweet is more than it seems my dear,
a dash of mouthwatering strawberries.
Mix in the heat of a Carolina Reaper,
I tend to become loud, my voice carries.
Have I raised a bit of interest yet,
do you possess a gambler’s mind?
Are you willing to place a small bet,
put on a scarf and enter my room blind?
Categories:
underdressed, emotions, feelings, love, lust,
Form:
Quatrain