Contributor Series 10: Silken Rags
Cover-Ups
By Neil Ellman
What we wear
is what we are–
mostly cover-ups
for legs too thin
or carpeted with cellulite
breasts not enough
little lines
where crows once walked
we wear
high-collared shirts
to hide our necks
layers of color to mask
the years
and sleepless baby nights
stripes for height
stiletto heels for even more
always something new
au currant courant
while men grow old
with the same old suit.
Neil Ellman’s most recent poem to appear here was The Omnivorous Restaurant Critic, published as part of Contributor Series 8: Feast and Famine.
Glad it’s the same old suite,
how about the same old tee shirt
and beat up jeans?
How true!