One Poem Only is a daily poetry podcast offering a quiet moment with a single poem—read aloud, without analysis or noise.

Reduced

Rosalind Davies

Easy winter option, ideal for layering over your favourite outfits,

regular fit, timeless crew neckline.

The glory of a full-price item

Chosen in the hot bloom of the season

My size, my length.

I take time to choose, plan ahead, create,

Build a look, an image, or someone else’s,

The one I want to lay on me,

The one that speaks loud what I want it to say.

A gift card redeems me and I walk, like a cat, away.

Long sleeves feature subtle fluting at the cuffs for a stylish finish,

a staple for your occasion wardrobe.

Not every occasion has a desirable, describable outfit.

January watches and waits to launch and throw

Its missile attacks on a cratered high street

And I remember the decorum of the time before.

Arms reach and grab.

The crunch of hangers underfoot.

A cruel mixture of trousers and skirts, fighting colours, jumble sale,

Disordered sizes, lying labels, sale stickers skewering helpless synthetics.

I feel the loss.

Rubbing between finger and thumb the fading image of careless success,

I mourn the season of choice and purchase, the easy accumulation,

the beautiful utility of seamless day-to-night.

Boutique has become bric-a-brac.

I battle, eyes sharp for rivals, at the end of line.

Cropped length with belt to cinch you in

sharp, refined silhouette, a contemporary tailored cut.

More from Rosalind Davies ↓

1. @rosssie.d on Instagram

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Mentioned in this episode:

Write After: National Poetry Month with One Poem Only

Write After is a way to encourage poets to listen and write, and use National Poetry Month to highlight how listening to poetry makes us better poets. I know I write the best when I’m surrounded by beautiful poetry–it’s part of the reason I created this podcast, and I want to encourage others to share this practice. We'll get started in April. You can share to #WriteAfterOPO.

#WriteAfterOPO