Dresses for the Gay Victorians 

PoetryWinter Whimsy 2026Sonnet
Written By James Morehead

The pair is staged, draped in frozen cotton,
androgynous; no need for arms or palms.
Forever High Street promenade, fixed on
hidden dress forms, perfected and embalmed.

Perhaps these flourished forms were forbidden,
lovers kept a whisper apart, longing
to be unmasked and no longer hidden—
tender wish fulfilled, at last belonging.

Perhaps they dream of nineteen eighty -four:
Prince dripping in purple, strutting icon
with heels and sequined ruffles. They adore,
dancing breathless until the denouement,

stilled again. Oh, Victorians, brilliant 
pretenders, shapeshifters resilient.


After “Gay Victorians” (1999), Yinka Shonibare, Wax-printed cotton textile, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)

James Morehead

James Morehead is the Poet Laureate Emeritus of Dublin, California, hosts the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast, and is the author of several collections, including "The Plague Doctor." He has produced three poetry films, including “tethered,” an award-winning animated short. His poem “gallery” was set to music for baritone and piano, and his work has appeared in multiple publications. He has performed nationally, including Patagonia's Poet Laureate Celebration, NPR’s Poetically Yours, and the Annual Haiku Festival.

Previous

downtown as fruits
Next

Eating hashbrowns with chopsticks