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her,going forth as one goes to conquer, for she was intent on the instantand utter annihilation, metaphorically speaking, of the daring plebeianchild who had so …
Poems
David Lewis Paget Dec 2015
The Second-Hand Gown
David Lewis Paget
Dec 2015
He wandered along old Codshill Street,
Quite late on that Christmas Eve,
And scanned the used haberdashery
Society ladies would leave,
The hats they’d worn, but only the once,
The boots with barely a scuff,
The poplin prints they hadn’t worn since,
A single dance was enough.
He stood outside in his working boots
The ones he wore at the mill,
He hadn’t had time to change himself
He should have been working still.
But in his pocket he clutched the pound
He’d saved for many a day,
He’d squirrelled each shilling away for months
Out of his meagre pay.
And all he could see was Mirabelle,
Who lodged at his heart and eye,
She worked upstairs in the counting room
Above where the shuttles fly,
And he would glimpse her once in a while
Pottering to and fro,
Dressed in a worn and paltry frock
Where the stitching was letting go.
He’d wait outside, and follow her home
To see she was safe and sound,
The rogues that he’d meet in Codshill Street
Would keep their eyes on the ground.
While she was aware of his loving gaze
And sometimes gave him a smile,
Others were bold in their loving ways
And pressed their court for a while.
And so it was on this Christmas Eve
That a Squire had stood at her door,
With a string of pearls you wouldn’t believe
He’d bought in a jeweller’s store,
And she was flushed as she let him in,
So pleased to have such a gift,
For she was only a working girl
And his interest gave her a lift.
But there in the haberdashery
In a window, stood at the side,
Was standing a model, dressed entire
In a gown so fine, he’d cried.
He thought he could see his Mirabelle
In place of the mannequin,
In the gown of grey crushed velvet, so
In a moment then, went in.
‘You know that the gown is second-hand,’
The girl explained to his stare,
‘Here are a couple of tiny stains,
And there is a little tear.
But this, that once cost a hundred pounds
Is a bargain now for a cause,
If you can give me a single pound
This lovely gown can be yours.’
She placed the gown in a long flat box,
And tied a ribbon around,
Then he flew out to his Mirabelle
In hopes she still could be found.
He saw the pearls were around her neck
When she had opened the door,
But once she pulled out the gown, she checked,
And dropped the pearls on the floor.
Her kiss was sweet on that Christmas Eve,
Though he had showed her the stains,
The tears she shed on that gorgeous thread
He said, were like summer rains,
She had no time for the wealthy Squire,
She’d waited for him all along,
Her greatest gift was a second-hand gown
With the love that the gown came from.
David Lewis Paget
Quite late on that Christmas Eve,
And scanned the used haberdashery
Society ladies would leave,
The hats they’d worn, but only the once,
The boots with barely a scuff,
The poplin prints they hadn’t worn since,
A single dance was enough.
He stood outside in his working boots
The ones he wore at the mill,
He hadn’t had time to change himself
He should have been working still.
But in his pocket he clutched the pound
He’d saved for many a day,
He’d squirrelled each shilling away for months
Out of his meagre pay.
And all he could see was Mirabelle,
Who lodged at his heart and eye,
She worked upstairs in the counting room
Above where the shuttles fly,
And he would glimpse her once in a while
Pottering to and fro,
Dressed in a worn and paltry frock
Where the stitching was letting go.
He’d wait outside, and follow her home
To see she was safe and sound,
The rogues that he’d meet in Codshill Street
Would keep their eyes on the ground.
While she was aware of his loving gaze
And sometimes gave him a smile,
Others were bold in their loving ways
And pressed their court for a while.
And so it was on this Christmas Eve
That a Squire had stood at her door,
With a string of pearls you wouldn’t believe
He’d bought in a jeweller’s store,
And she was flushed as she let him in,
So pleased to have such a gift,
For she was only a working girl
And his interest gave her a lift.
But there in the haberdashery
In a window, stood at the side,
Was standing a model, dressed entire
In a gown so fine, he’d cried.
He thought he could see his Mirabelle
In place of the mannequin,
In the gown of grey crushed velvet, so
In a moment then, went in.
‘You know that the gown is second-hand,’
The girl explained to his stare,
‘Here are a couple of tiny stains,
And there is a little tear.
But this, that once cost a hundred pounds
Is a bargain now for a cause,
If you can give me a single pound
This lovely gown can be yours.’
She placed the gown in a long flat box,
And tied a ribbon around,
Then he flew out to his Mirabelle
In hopes she still could be found.
He saw the pearls were around her neck
When she had opened the door,
But once she pulled out the gown, she checked,
And dropped the pearls on the floor.
Her kiss was sweet on that Christmas Eve,
Though he had showed her the stains,
The tears she shed on that gorgeous thread
He said, were like summer rains,
She had no time for the wealthy Squire,
She’d waited for him all along,
Her greatest gift was a second-hand gown
With the love that the gown came from.
David Lewis Paget
Soma Mukherjee
Jul 2011
Once a bridal gown met a suit to be worn by dead man,
No one knows how they ended up in the same van.
Did someone set them up
or was it a part of higher purpose or plan?
And people agreed because these two
had to travel together only for a short span.
Anyways, so the bridal gown was obviously shocked and traumatised
and feeling kind of sick looking at the suit,
The suit however had no such problems
as he knew his journey would end with the wearer,
so why sweat or fret? How astute!
To overcome the uneasiness the bridal gown though
of making fun and mocking the suit as her wearer
would have done had she been in this situation.
She taunted the suit for trying to fake calmness,
laughed at such a short life for he was going to be buried
as soon as he was born, and that he and his kinds
were cursed to eternal damnation.
The suit initially seemed amused
by all that the bridal gown was saying
and refused to take the bait,
He knew there was going to be no outcome
if ever they engage in a debate.
But at some point I guess, he just got bored
and decided that he has had enough,
The bridal gown was now irritating
with baseless talking and prodding
and now the journey was becoming torturous and tough.
So he said very calmly,* “Dear I feel sorry for you,
a long lonely life with very little to do in future,
which you must be aware of or so I hope,
May I ask if you have all the support
you need or else how will you manage and cope?
You are going to have a tough day today
saving yourself from all the wine, grease and food stains
You have to, or else won’t be forgiven by people
who made and wore you, taking so much trouble and pains.
Once you have been worn today,
you will be packed and kept in a trunk or a chest,
And the next time you will be out will be when
your owner’s daughter or someone that close decides to wear you,
that too if you are still in your best.
And god forbid if during this time fashion changes drastically
and you can’t be altered and worn,
Or maybe the tradition of wearing bridal gowns
is completely out and gone!
Plus have you ever thought what if you were not kept properly
after you have been used,
With All the oil, air and insect attack,
you will end up shredded and abused.
Pardon me if I had been too calm or looking a bit recluse,
But it was because I knew, I am going where I came from,
soil will always be my last refuge.
I don’t know if I had a long life how I would have spent it,
But I know my life is short and the choices are,
enjoy every moment or crib and resent it.
Yes you will have a long life and I, a very short one,
but how will it help if in this big life,
all you do is wait for it to end!
Short or big life, wouldn’t it be better
if we all do the maximum we can and cherish all the god send?”*
The bridal gown really hadn’t expected
the funeral suit to reply back and
he just confirmed her worst fears,
She sat stunned and shocked for the rest of the journey,
and tried to quell her tears.
I wish I had something more to tell
but their journey together had come to an end,
The bridal gown was received with a lot of relief and cheer
and in the next stop the suit had a funeral to attend.
No one knows how they ended up in the same van.
Did someone set them up
or was it a part of higher purpose or plan?
And people agreed because these two
had to travel together only for a short span.
Anyways, so the bridal gown was obviously shocked and traumatised
and feeling kind of sick looking at the suit,
The suit however had no such problems
as he knew his journey would end with the wearer,
so why sweat or fret? How astute!
To overcome the uneasiness the bridal gown though
of making fun and mocking the suit as her wearer
would have done had she been in this situation.
She taunted the suit for trying to fake calmness,
laughed at such a short life for he was going to be buried
as soon as he was born, and that he and his kinds
were cursed to eternal damnation.
The suit initially seemed amused
by all that the bridal gown was saying
and refused to take the bait,
He knew there was going to be no outcome
if ever they engage in a debate.
But at some point I guess, he just got bored
and decided that he has had enough,
The bridal gown was now irritating
with baseless talking and prodding
and now the journey was becoming torturous and tough.
So he said very calmly,* “Dear I feel sorry for you,
a long lonely life with very little to do in future,
which you must be aware of or so I hope,
May I ask if you have all the support
you need or else how will you manage and cope?
You are going to have a tough day today
saving yourself from all the wine, grease and food stains
You have to, or else won’t be forgiven by people
who made and wore you, taking so much trouble and pains.
Once you have been worn today,
you will be packed and kept in a trunk or a chest,
And the next time you will be out will be when
your owner’s daughter or someone that close decides to wear you,
that too if you are still in your best.
And god forbid if during this time fashion changes drastically
and you can’t be altered and worn,
Or maybe the tradition of wearing bridal gowns
is completely out and gone!
Plus have you ever thought what if you were not kept properly
after you have been used,
With All the oil, air and insect attack,
you will end up shredded and abused.
Pardon me if I had been too calm or looking a bit recluse,
But it was because I knew, I am going where I came from,
soil will always be my last refuge.
I don’t know if I had a long life how I would have spent it,
But I know my life is short and the choices are,
enjoy every moment or crib and resent it.
Yes you will have a long life and I, a very short one,
but how will it help if in this big life,
all you do is wait for it to end!
Short or big life, wouldn’t it be better
if we all do the maximum we can and cherish all the god send?”*
The bridal gown really hadn’t expected
the funeral suit to reply back and
he just confirmed her worst fears,
She sat stunned and shocked for the rest of the journey,
and tried to quell her tears.
I wish I had something more to tell
but their journey together had come to an end,
The bridal gown was received with a lot of relief and cheer
and in the next stop the suit had a funeral to attend.
judy smith
Nov 2015
WHEN Grace Gray uncovered her wedding dress from the back of the wardrobe, she knew exactly what to do with her something old – turn it into something new.
The doting gran gifted her much-loved satin gown to her daughter Michelle, so she could have it made into a christening robe for her baby Pippa.
And the beautiful wee girl was all smiles on her special day in her hand-me-down, upcycled gown.
Michelle, 32, said: “I always loved my mum’s wedding dress and never imagined it would become my daughter’s christening dress, but I’m so glad it did.
“For Pippa to be christened in such a special family dress made the day all the more amazing.”
Grace, 54, wore the pearl-encrusted ivory dress when she married husband William, 73, in Clydebank 18 years ago.
Michelle helped her mum to pick the dress and was a bridesmaid at the wedding.
She said: “I was quite young when my mum married my stepdad and I remember going shopping with her when she picked the dress.
“It had lots of pearls and diamantes and I just loved all the sparkle. She looked so beautiful.”
After her wedding, Grace packed away her dress in a box and kept it at the back of her wardrobe.
Michelle, who is looking forward to her own wedding to partner Frazer Ward, 29, next year, said: “It has been there ever since but she came across it when she was clearing out.
“It was her idea to have it turned into a christening dress for Pippa.”
The family took the dress to Fabricated Bridal Alterations in Glasgow, where the seamstresses made not only the christening dress but a head band for Pippa and a matching hair clip for her sister Tilly, four.
Michelle, who also lives in Clydebank, added: “I did feel a little bit anxious at the thought of mum’s
dress being cut up but the end result was so beautiful.
“Mum had a tear in her eye when she saw it.”
Grace said: “I can’t think of any better use of my wedding dress than seeing it given to my
granddaughter for her christening.
“I felt really honoured to share in her big day in such a special way. I was overwhelmed by how beautiful she looked.”
Andrina Greig, of Fabricated Bridal Alterations, said there was a rising trend for women to put their wedding dresses to good use.
She added: “We’ve had more and more women getting their wedding dresses made into a christening gown for their children – but this is the first time we have had a grandmother’s dress brought in to be made into a christening gown.
“Michelle’s mum’s dress was perfect for the transformation.
“It was in great condition and the beading, bow and button details were ideal for scaling down and keeping as a feature on the christening dress. We were thrilled with how beautiful Pippa’s gown looked.”
read more:www.marieaustralia.com/formal-dresses-adelaide
www.marieaustralia.com/red-carpet-celebrity-dresses
The doting gran gifted her much-loved satin gown to her daughter Michelle, so she could have it made into a christening robe for her baby Pippa.
And the beautiful wee girl was all smiles on her special day in her hand-me-down, upcycled gown.
Michelle, 32, said: “I always loved my mum’s wedding dress and never imagined it would become my daughter’s christening dress, but I’m so glad it did.
“For Pippa to be christened in such a special family dress made the day all the more amazing.”
Grace, 54, wore the pearl-encrusted ivory dress when she married husband William, 73, in Clydebank 18 years ago.
Michelle helped her mum to pick the dress and was a bridesmaid at the wedding.
She said: “I was quite young when my mum married my stepdad and I remember going shopping with her when she picked the dress.
“It had lots of pearls and diamantes and I just loved all the sparkle. She looked so beautiful.”
After her wedding, Grace packed away her dress in a box and kept it at the back of her wardrobe.
Michelle, who is looking forward to her own wedding to partner Frazer Ward, 29, next year, said: “It has been there ever since but she came across it when she was clearing out.
“It was her idea to have it turned into a christening dress for Pippa.”
The family took the dress to Fabricated Bridal Alterations in Glasgow, where the seamstresses made not only the christening dress but a head band for Pippa and a matching hair clip for her sister Tilly, four.
Michelle, who also lives in Clydebank, added: “I did feel a little bit anxious at the thought of mum’s
dress being cut up but the end result was so beautiful.
“Mum had a tear in her eye when she saw it.”
Grace said: “I can’t think of any better use of my wedding dress than seeing it given to my
granddaughter for her christening.
“I felt really honoured to share in her big day in such a special way. I was overwhelmed by how beautiful she looked.”
Andrina Greig, of Fabricated Bridal Alterations, said there was a rising trend for women to put their wedding dresses to good use.
She added: “We’ve had more and more women getting their wedding dresses made into a christening gown for their children – but this is the first time we have had a grandmother’s dress brought in to be made into a christening gown.
“Michelle’s mum’s dress was perfect for the transformation.
“It was in great condition and the beading, bow and button details were ideal for scaling down and keeping as a feature on the christening dress. We were thrilled with how beautiful Pippa’s gown looked.”
read more:www.marieaustralia.com/formal-dresses-adelaide
www.marieaustralia.com/red-carpet-celebrity-dresses