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Nellie Bridge: Dirty Underwear

May 12, 2011 by PBQ

When I was young, I heard or read
that you shouldn’t wear dirty underwear, in case you get in an accident
so you won’t be embarrassed when they undress you.

I didn’t get it — the focus on underwear
in an emergency. And I’d be embarrassed
in any case.
And just how clean should they be?

These days I walk with my private thoughts
partly written on scraps of paper, stuffed into pockets
and pockets of bags, poorly expressed,
still indecent.

The EMT might be surprised
that she who looks so orderly
didn’t dot her i’s at all

and threw a gigantic crazy mess into the world
for it to organize, or not.

Filed Under: Contributors 76, Issue 76, Poetry, Poetry 76 Tagged With: Contributors 76, Nellie Bridge, Poetry, Poetry 76

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