The Derrièristes
Some poets see inspiration in a sunrise, in the dew quivering on a leaf after a gentle spring rain; others find it in more prosaic (yet still natural) things.
Enter the Derrièristes. These earthy poets “look below”—focusing specifically on the buttocks for poetic inspiration.
Gwyneth Paltrow
b. 1972
With a temporal theme of change by way of buttock observation, Gwyneth Paltrow’s “The Bottom Line” celebrates both acceptance and mutability.
The Bottom Line
My butt!
My butt,
butt,
butt.
Tracy met me, she said that I had
a long, square butt
that she was going to redesign,
and I was, like, “Yeah? Good luck.”
The amazing thing is she was right!
And it’s still changing!
Will Smith
b. 1968
Actor Will Smith approaches his Derrièriste verse with a distinctively sassy style—as distinctively sassy as the “special butt” he writes about.
Mine Is Special
I have a special butt. It has special
curves and it kinda has
its own attitude . . .
I think the audience can feel that,
and if I were to put someone else’s butt in that place,
the audience would feel cheated and emotionally insulted.
Kim Kardashian
b. 1980
Kim Kardashian, primarily celebrated for her shapely buttocks, here pays them a personal tribute. As with her TV show, this is pure art.
Butt Acceptance
I see ridiculous stories about my butt,
like how it has been insured.
I feel like saying, “Hey, everyone has a butt.
It’s not that big a deal!”
But I suppose it’s flattering.
Personally, I’ve always loved the curvy look.
Even when I was a little girl and all my friends would be
like, “Oh, my god,
your butt’s so big.”
And I’d say,
“I love it.”
Gisele Bündchen
b. 1980
Model Gisele Bündchen reveals—or chooses not to reveal—her bunda (as she might call it in her native Brazilian Portuguese) in this highly personal poem.
Special Occasions
I make sure that they understand that
My booty has to be covered.
It’s my booty
and I feel like when you’re walking on the runway,
God knows where they’re looking.
It’s not that I feel self-conscious,
It’s that I feel like
my booty
should be shown on
special occasions.
For special people.