Right Thought (poem)

 

 

 

Right Thought

 

You would be free

You would

begin your hell-bound trek to liberation

Attracted by a campaign

Of eradication

Clean surfaces, How To…how nice

Soon emptied drawers exhale colonies

Of clutter-squatters, camped on chairs

You tell yourself, “I will clear three shelves”

But small embodiments, often figurements

Show you in a bad light

You kept them for that

This was all I got

This glitter angel ruined my Christmas

Blank bisque, and I was tasked to paint her

This coffee grinder was a birthday gift

You ought to grind at something, harder

This crocheted throw—

Which is not bad. The Wheel of Trends has thrown up lately

Granny squares, and thrifters seek them

Rare of finding, like this pink one

But you were mad at it when you got it

Your face said o-oh.

“Hate yourself, truly, can’t appease the dead”

Grins the crocheted throw

 

You kept them and you know

Inside, I think you do

That hurt has laid its egg in every party

wrong face, wrong words, wrong voice

can’t be discarded

 

You will have to ask each thing

What can you tell me?

What did you see, witnessing me?

Dumb inanimate observer, what…

Before in charity I send you off

to gather new pains

Hold new unforgivenesses in the crux of your angel’s wings

…should I know, to say goodbye?

 

 

 

 

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Right Understanding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2024, Stephanie Foster)