Too-Tight Pants

My pants are tight, much too tight,
And I can't imagine why. 

They dig in my waist, pull at the seams,
And they hurt across the thigh. 

They fit so tight around the legs,
I can't even bend my knees. 

They're short in length and in the stride,
And I hope I won't have to sneeze. 

I don't quite know what I shall do
If I have the urge to cough. 

I'm sure that all my seams will split,
And my pants will fall right off. 

They're far too tight around the back,
And the zipper will not zip. 

I'm having trouble breathing, too,
If I bend down from my hip. 

I can't help wondering just why
These pants are so very tight. 

  Surely a person cannot grow 

Too big for their pants overnight! 

  I notice my little brother 

Is looking downcast and grim. 

  It seems that he has problems, too. 

His pants are too big for him. 

© Joyce Broughton, 1990

Too-tight pants; photo by lengtarang on Photobucket