[the Writing of Kuypers]    [JanetKuypers.com]    [Bio]    [Poems]    [Prose]


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Published in her book Close Cover Before Striking, read (for future audio CD release) 06/28/11 on WZRD radio, from the main camera
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video 06/26/11 of the majority of the WZRD radio show with her reading poetry (including this poem) from the main camera
video See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers, while hosting the Poetry Aloud open mic 4/28/18 in Georgetown TX, read her poem “That Dress” from her book “Close Cover Before Striking”, then she read her poems “Sorry Flowers”, “on The California Streets”, and “Ways to Spend Your Money”, and then she sang her song “In Love I Abide” - all from her book “Chapter 38 v1”, then she read her poem “Only Voice He Could Hear” from the proof copy of the cc&d v284 23-year anniversary issue/book “Shining” to a live audience for National poetry Month (from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera).
video See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers, while hosting the Poetry Aloud open mic 4/28/18 in Georgetown TX, read her poem “That Dress” from her book “Close Cover Before Striking”, then she read her poems “Sorry Flowers”, “on The California Streets”, and “Ways to Spend Your Money”, and then she sang her song “In Love I Abide” - all from her book “Chapter 38 v1”, then she read her poem “Only Voice He Could Hear” from the proof copy of the cc&d v284 23-year anniversary issue/book “Shining” to a live audience for National poetry Month (from a Panasonic Lumix T56 camera).
video See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers’ “Beach Poets bonus feature at the Armadillo’s Pillow” reading poetry from 2 books, including her poem “Our Color, Our Gender, Our Creed” from her 2019 poetry books “(pheromones) haiku, Instagram, Twitter, and poetry” and “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poems “nonetheless”, “brittle”, “brain”, “Quiver in Thought”, “Opens the Way”, “Became a Circus”, and “Listen to Life”, all read from her 2019 poetry book “(pheromones) haiku, Instagram, Twitter, and poetry”, then her haiku and poems “know”, “extinct”, “This is Only a Test”, “elusive”, “Vase of Tulips”, “That Dress”, “Escape to Peace”, and “Uncharted Land” from her 20019 poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)” as the feature to the “Beach Poets 9/1/19 with Janet Kuypers” in Chicago (this video was filmed from a Panasonic Lumix T56 camera).
video See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers’ “Beach Poets bonus feature at the Armadillo’s Pillow” reading poetry from 2 books, including her poem “Our Color, Our Gender, Our Creed” from her 2019 poetry books “(pheromones) haiku, Instagram, Twitter, and poetry” and “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poems “nonetheless”, “brittle”, “brain”, “Quiver in Thought”, “Opens the Way”, “Became a Circus”, and “Listen to Life”, all read from her 2019 poetry book “(pheromones) haiku, Instagram, Twitter, and poetry”, then her haiku and poems “know”, “extinct”, “This is Only a Test”, “elusive”, “Vase of Tulips”, “That Dress”, “Escape to Peace”, and “Uncharted Land” from her 20019 poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)” as the feature to the “Beach Poets 9/1/19 with Janet Kuypers” in Chicago (Panasonic Lumix T56 camera; Sepia).
video See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers’ “Beach Poets bonus feature at the Armadillo’s Pillow” reading poetry from 2 books, including her poem “Our Color, Our Gender, Our Creed” from her 2019 poetry books “(pheromones) haiku, Instagram, Twitter, and poetry” and “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poems “nonetheless”, “brittle”, “brain”, “Quiver in Thought”, “Opens the Way”, “Became a Circus”, and “Listen to Life”, all read from her 2019 poetry book “(pheromones) haiku, Instagram, Twitter, and poetry”, then her haiku and poems “know”, “extinct”, “This is Only a Test”, “elusive”, “Vase of Tulips”, and “That Dress” from her 20019 poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)” as the feature to the “Beach Poets 9/1/19 with Janet Kuypers” in Chicago (this video was filmed live from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera).
video See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers’ “Beach Poets bonus feature at the Armadillo’s Pillow” reading poetry from 2 books, including her poem “Our Color, Our Gender, Our Creed” from her 2019 poetry books “(pheromones) haiku, Instagram, Twitter, and poetry” and “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poems “nonetheless”, “brittle”, “brain”, “Quiver in Thought”, “Opens the Way”, “Became a Circus”, and “Listen to Life”, all read from her 2019 poetry book “(pheromones) haiku, Instagram, Twitter, and poetry”, then her haiku and poems “know”, “extinct”, “This is Only a Test”, “elusive”, “Vase of Tulips”, and “That Dress” from her 20019 poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)” as the feature to the “Beach Poets 9/1/19 with Janet Kuypers” in Chicago (filmed from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera; Posterize filter).

that dress

both years i went to prom
you made me my dress
the first, pink and mauve

i looked like a parade float,
i think

the next year,
something a bit more
dramatic
i wanted black with a touch of ivory,
you convinced me to have
ivory with a touch of black

you made a dress
with a fitted jacket

i could take the jacket off
wear a pair of long dress gloves

you know,
you never liked having
your picture taken
mom

but i’ll always keep
the photo taken just before
my prom night
of the two of us

i’m leaning my head
on your shoulder

i loved that dress


Copyright Janet Kuypers.
All rights reserved. No material
may be reprinted without express permission.



the book The Beauty and the Destruction