Gussied Up Poems | Examples

gussied up frog lady

Gussied up Frog Lady is proper but not prim.
Her grotesque legs are thick and spotted, not thin.
She wears pantaloons with lace of cotton white.
Her stretched out undershirt is way too tight.

Frog Lady tries to put her pinkie up to drink.
Her fingers are webbed, and nothing is pink.
We can tell she is trying to be better than us.
She is an arrogant woman, says Mrs. McGus.

They Trained Their Birds

They trained their birds to stay incredibly still.
Like statues, reported my cousin Mrs. McGill.
The birds did not make a single sound as they supped.
The table was linen, and all prissily gussied up.

The birds were the best trained I had ever seen.
Their statuesque presence was totally pristine.
They silently stayed in position on that tea sipping day.
Pooping white goo on the shoulders of Mrs. McVey.

A Tale of Reina Yuma Rogan

Don’t let her smile fool ya, she’ll make ya crawl
If looks could kill, she’d burn a hole through y’all 
She’s a fiery philly
Saloon owners aren’t silly
Cayote ugly’s bar none, warned don’t start a brawl
                                                           
Met on deck at her fab watering hole
The kind who leaves ya a heartbroken soul
Stay clear, Reina's her name
If ya ain’t got no game
Ya see her gussied up courtin, cry troll!

The Spring Cometh

Bare winter trees begin to grow;
driving around, I watch nature's show.

shafts of light among taller, barren trunks
dogwoods blossom, a herald
as the woods come to life

Raindrops chase raindrops by design 
and April beckons a flash flood.
The muddy streams now fill their banks,
daffodils and Bradford pears bud.

bird nests sporting eggs
yards gussied up for Easter
resurrection nears

March 20, 2022

Combination of Forms Contest:
“Crystalline- Kimo- Quatrain- Haiku” 
Emile Pinet

Dance Hall Girl Gussied Up

She was all decked out in petticoats plus.
Tried to get on the stage with us.
But we pushed her out onto her rear.
No fancy women allowed in here.

Our men laughed at our evil action.
But we did not care. Gave us satisfaction.
The good book helps us be mean to these kind.
What would Jesus do? Let’s never mind.

The Holland Tonnel

The Holland Tunnel’s gussied up.
Its holiday display
Made some commuters angry
And they finally had their say.

Two wreaths were boldly planted
On the “O” and on the “U,”
So “Holland Tonnel’s” what appeared
To people driving through.

A Christmas tree was mounted, too,
On top of Holland’s “N.”
The “A” would be a better match,
The critics voiced again.

The ones in charge arranged a vote;
Results were tallied fast,
The decorations switched around
From the opinions cast.

The tree was moved, one wreath is gone;
There’s now a happy aura,
Which would be perfect if they had
Included a menorah!*

*symbol of Chanukah, a Jewish holiday 
celebrated at this time of year

Hillbilly Redneck Sonnet

This redneck is fixin' to go dancin'
You reckon we get gussied up and go?
I'll be a high flutin' and a prancin'
Is the honky-tonk puttin' on a show?

Shall I wear my fanciest clod hoppers?
Shall I phone all your fiddle playin' kin?
I am gonna be such a show stopper.
We shall enter the dance contest and win.

I've got a hankerin' for hot romance,
And some granny-slappin' hillbilly sex.
Bear ten younguns, live in 'ternity pants
Did you just skedaddle, my newest ex?

Dern it, Darlin', thought we were so well matched.
I counted my chickens before they hatched!

Written 3/2/2017
Entered in Mid December Premiere
Hosted by Brian Strand

October

If every month’s a color
Then October has to be
The same orange as a pumpkin
And I think we’d all agree.

For as fall, in its ascendance,
Turns the leaves and ripens gourds,
Golds and oranges and ochres
Are the notes of autumn’s chords.

So I welcome Ms. October
Gussied up in tangerine,
Bringing just enough of chilly days
To supersede the green.

Going To a Wedding

Going to a wedding - 
We will watch them tie the knot.
It’s nice to know that younger folk
Still give this thing a shot.

I’ll get myself all gussied up 
(That word is proof I’m old),
Although I’m not the dress-up type
Most times, if truth be told.

The ceremony’s out of doors,
A garden the location
And then we’ll head inside to dine
And dance in celebration.

Originally weathermen
Predicted it would rain.
The sun decided otherwise,
The worries all in vain.

I’m sure it will be lovely
But the main thing that I think
Is, with all the preparation,
It’s all over in a blink.

Spring Fun

haiku series

yards in bloom
gussied up for Easter
girls in new hats

baby robins
kids spy a nest
mamas squawk

maple seeds twirl
delighting kids and adults
tadpoles morph


written 18 March 2016

Spontaneous Smiles

Christmas sparks spontaneous smiles
on the faces of young and old.
A family celebration,
touting brotherly love and cheer.

On the faces of young and old,
a rosy glow is clearly seen.
Children can't wait for Santa Claus,
counting down the days in their dreams.

A family celebration
where gifts are received and given.
And placed under a sparkling tree,
all gussied up with tinsel foil.

Touting brotherly love and cheer,
it's a magical time of year.
And for a brief fantastic time,
neighbors share a greeting of peace.


(Blank Verse)


10/18/2015

When Nature Gives You Porcupines

A porcupine, when threatened, will
Let loose upon his foe a quill
Or actually, I have a hunch
That he’d release a giant bunch.

I always knew about that use
But never knew that a papoose
Could find what every baby needs
Where quills are used instead of beads.

Yes, cradleboards and moccasins
And shirts or cloaks made out of skins
Were gussied up with filed-down quills
By Indians with awesome skills.

A new exhibit at the Met*
Has beadwork that I won’t forget
By Natives living on the Plains
Where porcupines shared their domains.

Or that is what I must assume
For every ornament and plume
They used to sew with (all by hand)
Was found nearby on native land.

That’s how it was in times gone by;
The local life could satisfy.
Those Indians, now mostly gone,
Today’d rely on Amazon!

*Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

Queen of Autumn Splendor

She stands there all summer
in everyday ordinary green,
but amid autumn's bouquet
she wears a lustrous sheen.

Her gown is splendiferous,
she's the queen of them all,
transformed like Cinderella
'gussied up' for the ball.

Glowing flaxen and scarlet,
all who view her agree,
there's nothing more radiant
than the sugar maple tree.

A Balcony Over Venice

There’s a balcony over Venice
Somewhere outside Dallas, Texas
Through a sliding glass door

A couple sits toasting to the croons of Elvis
With paper cup chalice
Upon their European back porch

Making conversation language love
Beneath candle moon blue August
The symphony inside plays, dog barks, six children snore

“May I have this dance?”
The gussied up working stiff redneck asks 
To the lady he adores

On a balcony over Venice 
Two lovers sway
Hand on hand kissing even more

They dream together "moon rivers" 
Between skips of old worn records
Holding on to their tender years

And tighter to homespun fantasies
More alive in the Italian Texas breeze
He twirls her on forever above smiles of gondoliers 

And around their linoleum ballroom floor
Little eyes appear like starlight blinking
Twinkling out with laughter

There’s a balcony over Venice
Somewhere outside of Dallas, Texas
Where a father loves a mother, a son and five daughters 

                                                                    Happily ever after

Ike Series 6th --Barn Dance

Heck, never was much of a one fer romance,
Mostly shy ‘round a lady,
Never learnt how to proper dance,
couldn’t do it if’n ya paid me.

Course er’er times I got all likkered up
And jumped and kicked ‘till ah coon’t no more,
But Bobby Joe surprised me when she puckered up..
Ah got up the nerve to kiss ‘er and fell on the floor.

Reckon one day I’ll git me a dancin’ lesson,
Get gussied up and ride ole Hoss to the barn dance,
But I’ll still be scairt I’m a guessin’
Tho I’ll be wearin’ smellum and ma new overall pants.

Thet thar ah remember was what ah was a thinkin
when ah was a barely sebenteen
Now fifty years later seems in a eye blinkin’
And yep .. Ah done found ma queen.

Twas aft ah come out the Navy
When ah had a family on my mind,
Sure ’nuff found a special lady
But don’t y’all never mind…. 
Thet thar’s a story for nuther time.



dec 17-2011 part of Ike and Jane series
written by Robert A. Dufresne

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