Poem: The Privilege of Ripped Jeans (haiku in 10 variations)

Judy Kim, , , , ,

1)

When I was a teen

I thought torn blue jeans were cool

But I was a fool.

2)

What did I know then?

Growing up in affluence

Surrounded by wealth.

3)

We were immigrants

So we lived like we were poor

Mom saved everything.

4)

Paper and plastic

Even aluminum foil

She re-used it all.

5)

Mom was so frugal

I didn’t understand why

I felt embarrassed.

6)

She lived through a war

She ate potatoes and bark

Her shoes were broken.

7)

She saved her whole clan

By winning rice at her school

I never did that.

8)

I lived a spoiled life

I was a pampered Princess

The youngest baby.

9)

But I had poor clothes

Nothing trendy or stylish

So I wasn’t cool.

10)

It’s so ironic

That the rich try to look poor

In brand new ripped clothes.

11 Comments

    1. Patches are cool, but no one bothers to use them anymore. I remember how my mom repaired loose buttons and tears in clothes, now everything is thrown away, never mended. ☹️

      Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks, Jaya! I was watching tv and noticed a comedian on stage who was wearing ripped, cut off jeans and it inspired the poem. I thought she looked strange, she probably could’ve afforded nicer clothes to wear to a Netflix tv performance but she was trying to be cool, by looking poor.

      Liked by 1 person

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