What She Was Wearing
Denver Butson
this is my suicide dress
she told him
I only wear it on days
when I’m afraid
I might kill myself
if I don’t wear it
you’ve been wearing it
every day since we met
he said
and these are my arson gloves
so you don’t set fire to something?
he asked
exactly
and this is my terrorism lipstick
my assault and battery eyeliner
my armed robbery boots
I’d like to undress you he said
but would that make me an accomplice?
and today she said I’m wearing
my infidelity underwear
so don’t get any ideas
and she put on her nervous breakdown hat
and walked out the door
This Frenzy 
Of all the poems you’ve posted, this has to be one of my favorites. The metaphors are surface enough so that they’re easy-to-follow as well as the usual more hidden poetic ones for more “advanced” poetry readers.
The surface metaphors are obvious to me, but not so sure about the deeper ones. Can you give me your take on this poem? I heard it on NPR.
I think it is ultimately a poem about gender in heterosexual relationships. But I like it not for that at all, but for the richness of the image and the humor. And I do love the idea of clothing being something we wear to keep ourselves from setting something on fire, committing a crime, or having a nervous breakdown.