Feeling invisible
to the pairs of made-up ladies
dressed for shopping, judging, handling the styles,
who brush me with their giant
purses stamped with heiroglyphic
logos, I shop for shoes.
A polite, vested salesman
perching on his foot-stool,
calculating his commission,
eye-ing the rich ladies hopefully,
waits on me dutifully
because he has three more boxes to show.
Standing to model the sensible browns,
wishing I had chosen
something fashionable, emerald coated or useless,
I try to pose like Dorothy-
turning my feet to see all sides
in the slanted floor mirror
when yesterday’s underpants
released from hiding
slide down my pants leg
to plop on the carpet like an egg just laid
exposing me as a slob
and I'm sorry I'm no longer invisible.
Today is NaPoWriMo Day # 19 and the topic of the day is "light bulb moments" described here: http://readwritepoem.org/blog/2010/04/19/napowrimo-prompt-19-light-bulb-moments/
Today is NaPoWriMo Day # 19 and the topic of the day is "light bulb moments" described here: http://readwritepoem.org/blog/2010/04/19/napowrimo-prompt-19-light-bulb-moments/
Oops! How embarrassing. Good post.
ReplyDeletePamela
Ouch! You set the scene perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI love the simplicity and honesty in this. I could see a set-up, but the ending was a complete surprise.
ReplyDeleteAwkward! Perfect build up to your light bulb moment!
ReplyDeleteoh, what a horrible experience, right in the middle of nordstrom's.
ReplyDeleteI love how you ended with the regret, the longing for the return of invisibility.
LOL.'Plopping on the carpet like an egg just laid'
ReplyDeleteis brilliant.Thanks
Thanks everyone. This really happened a few years ago. I had pulled on jeans from the day before that morning and not checked too carefully for stowaways.
ReplyDeletefrom Therese B -- what a stowaway! A poem very faithful to the prompt.
ReplyDeleteI love your honesty here. It can be hard to share embarassing moments. I'll remember to check my pant legs in the future.
ReplyDelete- Laura