Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Lucia Maria Perillo’s "Rise of Western Underwear in Japan" is a compact yet striking meditation on cultural transition, modesty, and survival. Set against the backdrop of a real historical event—the 1932 Shirokiya Department Store fire in Tokyo—the poem contrasts two generations of women and their differing relationships with clothing, propriety, and ultimately, their own bodies. The event itself serves as a symbolic moment in which traditional Japanese dress is exposed—literally and figuratively—revealing the tensions between old and new, practicality and modesty, self-preservation and social expectation.

The poem begins with a historical anecdote: “When Tokyo’s Shirokiya Dry Goods caught fire in the thirties, / shopgirls tore the shelves’ kimonos and knotted them in ropes.” This line immediately establishes both the setting and the stakes. The fire, a literal crisis, forces an urgent response, and the shopgirls—likely clerks working in the department store—use their available resources to escape. The image of “tearing the shelves’ kimonos” introduces a theme of destruction that is both pragmatic and symbolic. These garments, representative of traditional Japanese attire, are not preserved or protected but repurposed into lifelines. This suggests a moment of rupture, where cultural artifacts must be sacrificed for physical survival.

The next lines make a generational distinction: “Older women used both hands, / descending safely from the highest floors / though their underskirts flew up around their hips.” The “older women” use “both hands”—suggesting that they prioritize survival over modesty. Their ability to descend “safely” indicates that their decision was effective, even though it resulted in exposure. The phrase “their underskirts flew up around their hips” marks a moment of unintended revelation—one that challenges traditional notions of female decorum. This exposure is presented without overt judgment, but the implication is clear: survival requires letting go of certain constraints, including societal expectations of modesty.

The next line introduces the perspective of the onlookers: “The crowded street saw everything beneath— / ankles, knees, the purple flanges of their sex.” The detail of “the crowded street” highlights the public nature of this spectacle, reinforcing the idea that this moment is about more than just individual survival—it is about cultural confrontation. The list of exposed body parts moves from the relatively neutral “ankles” and “knees” to the more intimate “purple flanges of their sex.” The phrase “purple flanges” is particularly evocative, merging biological reality with poetic flourish. The explicitness of this imagery underscores the unavoidable consequence of choosing survival over decorum—these women, by saving themselves, have been unwillingly put on display.

The poem then shifts to contrast the younger women’s response: “Versus the younger girls’ careful keeping / one hand pinned against their skirts, / against the nothing under them and their silk falling.” The “versus” explicitly frames this as a contrast—the younger women, unlike the older ones, cling to their modesty even in the face of danger. The phrase “careful keeping” suggests that they are actively preserving their decorum, prioritizing propriety over the immediacy of escape. The phrase “against the nothing under them” reminds the reader that traditional kimonos were typically worn without Western-style underwear. This lack of undergarments amplifies their vulnerability, making their decision to hold their skirts down even more precarious.

The final image—“their silk falling”—carries multiple layers of meaning. It is both literal (as the garments slip despite their efforts) and metaphorical (as tradition itself is falling, as Japan transitions into Western modernity). The use of “silk” reinforces the delicate, luxurious, and ultimately impractical nature of their clothing in the face of catastrophe.

At its core, "Rise of Western Underwear in Japan" is about the tension between tradition and necessity, between social norms and survival instincts. The older women, prioritizing escape, unwittingly embody the future—a world where modesty is secondary to pragmatism. The younger women, struggling to maintain traditional expectations, risk being left behind, trapped by the weight of cultural decorum. Perillo captures this historical moment with economy and precision, using a single event to reflect on broader themes of change, exposure, and the inevitable transformation of cultural values. The title itself suggests the outcome: in a world that demands movement and adaptation, those who cling to tradition too tightly may find themselves unable to escape the flames.

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