Prada comes before a fall.

"It's a bargain," she sighs,

"I must have it, so sequinned, 

so shiny and bright 

but for now, just for now,

though I'm loath to admit,

'tis a tad, just a tiny tad tight."

"How smart," he remarks

to the mirror, "such a perfectly

handcrafted shoe, 

no doubt in my mind 

I must have it, in fact 

to be sure I'll have two!"

"So together," they croon, 

"just like twin set and pearl

with the prettiest tint to our hair,

and our manicured life is stress 

free, without strife, aren't we quite 

the most perfect matched pair."

"We have riches," they crow,

"careful culled all our years

on the corporate path we have trod,

but our charity beginneth

and endeth at home

so the rest we have left up to God!"

And thus, it is how such emporia,

from vainglorious desires

strike it rich;

'tis Vanity Fair for the masses,

grandiose empires 

of quite pointless glitz,

where the acme

for those so afflicted

is the taking of tea at the Ritz.

 

Reviews

[John Alexander McFadyen]

This has pathos and style and such amazing sardonic wit in a beautifully crafted poem.

[emmajoy]

'.. grandiose empires - of quite pointless glitz, - where the acme - for those so afflicted - is the taking of tea at the Ritz.'

Smile a stanza, this! Makes me think of act-ORS playing in the Theatre of Life; trying to be or not to be appropriately covered by scripts and costumes.. Maybe we all succumb to frailties whilst trying to find the perfect part.. but, maybe end up hung, drawn and quartered. Love the reason behind your words, love the playful tongue.in.cheek logic.. you write so well. Truly do.

[Simon Welsh]

Gotta love buying crapola you never look at twice a week later. Story of my life, aha.

[ANTO]

This is a very witty observational piece and a wry social commentary Beccy. The title, I love dahhling.

The spirit of it struck me as very Noel Coward.
I loved the use of words like 'beginneth' (so WASP) and 'emporia' 'acme'
and i loved the phrase 'just like twin set and pearl' - pure class Beccy in a classless way of course.

[Woody]

love the title. and the poem.you have a way all your own to express simple ideas in an elegant, poetic way, Beccy. you don't write often but the wait is worth it.

[NoelHC]

Interesting observations, I could never quite grasp the need to spend more on a designer brand purse, or big name brand shoes than I did on the first few used cars I owned!
Well done Beccy.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, exactly "vainglorious"

you said it perfectly in this poem..."mirror, mirror on the wall who are the fairest and riches of them all"

that kind of contentment is as short lived as those bargains----

j.

[Sami Khalil]

I love the play on Pride and Prada. The title is very creative and then the poem is equally masterful...An excellent one...:)...

[R J Askew]

I like the way the item is both luxurious yet described as a bargain! Arf, arf, so it is tight but it is still a must have! This is how we are. The image rules us. I feel like that about my Paul Smith funeral coat. (The detachable quilted lining is a thing of exquisite beauty - sure it can't be seen, but I KNOW it is there and knowing confers a certain inner power.) Your lines also evoke the power footwear of a certain leading politician. And the potency of Church's English shoes for men. Hmm, and the sadness I felt when the structure of my super-soft grey suede ankle boots gave way. I only every wore them for best. The efforts I went to to get them fixed or replaced. As it is they are still wearable. (Phew!) Ach, I wld have said I am indifferent to shoes. Clearly there is a lot more in shoes that feet.

[Chris]

a good not-quite tongue-in-cheeky... was a good read