Frippary

Pull out the safety net attributed to the defence of the realm. Flatten for ironing – bibs, rags, antimacassar. Unimportant considerations. Turpentine. Formica. An extra leaf (dropped). Dumb waiter.
Stays at home. Self-binding. An inverted cone shape. So many bundles. A jar for everything except the kitchen sink. Everyone accepts the kitchen sink.
Gaudy. With matching cufflinks. (Just the ticket for a strapless gala.) Worn on the abdomen. Stiffened with glue. A brow raised. A broken rib.
They had but little clothing, but such as they had was fanciful in character and fantastic in its arrangement. Any little absurd gewgaw or gimcrack they had they disposed in such a way as to make it attract attention most readily.
Ardass, arrasene, balzarine, bedraggled; bombazine, bagging, barathea, course and stout. Cap it all. Make it up. (That flower pot shape is very smart.)

from ‘Then’ (Shearsman Books 2021)