The Origin of the Mannequins

And on the two and a quarter millionth day
the Lord said, And another thing;
you are my people. You shall not
adopt vampish and casual fashion habits.

And when I send my prophets among you,
you shall read their catalogs and heed them
and visit their tasteful boutiques. Lo!
Low clothing prices shall truly be a sign

of wickedness, for who among you
would array herself like a penniless sparrow
and let quality pastel knits and satins
fill the clearance racks?

Who among you shall be
like those miserly Mannequins, who
know of velvet and brocaded vestwork
yet reject it? I say to you

they are an abomination to me. They
seek the Gap and they dwell there,
yet I tell you their days are numbered.
I shall strike them stiff and mute, cast them

naked upon all the regions of the earth.
I shall cause them to be dressed by their enemies
and forced to stand in awkward positions
until the end of time, or at the very least,
until closing time.

Rip Underwood has owned a dental lab for many years but has retired and wishes to devote his energies to finding outlets for my poetry—a passion he has indulged in for most of his adult life. In Austin, he has done volunteer work with deaf clients and with developmentally disabled residents at our Austin State School. He has also done service at the local women's shelter and the Victim Services division of the Austin police department. He enjoys a good socially-directed volunteer opportunity but now wishes to explore a more inward artistic journey and to see if the work he has accumulated has a place in the world.