Reflection in a Dimestore Window

It’s not that men are never
ridiculous in the public eye,
but their tailor-made assurance
makes them less vulnerable than
Mistress Overplump downtown
on a summer afternoon,
her bulging behind plainly
showing each hitch and jiggle
through baby-pink stretch pants,
tight as the hair stuffed in
the metal rings around her head.
I glimpse in the dimestore window
her naked face
smouldering in cosmetic fire.

    Original Citation
    Poet Lore 66 (Summer 1971) 192.
    Word Count
    65
    Original Publication
    Date Published
    1971
    Complete Poems
    247
    First Line
    It’s not that men are never
    Poetic Form
    open
    Bibliographic Notes

    Listed as "Reflections in a Dimestore Window" in the Ward Bibliography.

    Twitter Quote
    It’s not that men are never / ridiculous in the public eye